Feedback device providing thermal feedback

ABSTRACT

Provided is a feedback device providing thermal feedback. The feedback device, according to one embodiment, may comprise a casing, a heat output module, and a feedback controller. The casing comprises: a contact part, with which a user makes contact when the feedback device moves when a content is being played; and a noncontact part with which the user does not make contact even though the feedback device moves. The heat output module comprises: flexible first and second substrates; a thermoelectric element interposed between the first the second substrates and performing a thermoelectric operation for thermal feedback; and a contact surface disposed on the second substrate. The heat output module is disposed on the curve-shaped inside or outside of the contact part, and outputs thermal feedback to the user via the second substrate and the contact surface. The feedback controller is configured so as to control the thermal output module.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments relate to a feedback device for providing thermal feedback.

BACKGROUND ART

Recently, with the development of technologies for virtual reality (VR)and augmented reality (AR), demands for providing feedback throughvarious senses to improve user's immersion in content have beenincreasing. In particular, in the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show (CES),virtual reality technology was introduced as one of future promisingtechnologies. With this trend, research is being actively carried out toprovide a user experience with respect to all human senses including anolfactory sense and a tactile sense beyond a user experience (UX) whichis mainly limited to a visual sense and an auditory sense.

A thermoelement (TE) is a device which produces an exothermic reactionor an endothermic reaction through a Peltier effect by receivingelectric energy. The thermoelement is expected to be used for providingthermal feedback to a user. However, a conventional thermoelement mainlyusing a flat substrate has been limited in application thereof becauseit is difficult to press the conventional thermoelement against a user'sbody part. However, in recent years, as development of a flexiblethermoelement (FTE) has reached a successful stage, the flexiblethermoelement is expected to overcome the problems of the conventionalthermoelectric devices and to effectively transfer thermal feedback to auser.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

The present invention is directed to providing a feedback device capableof improving user's immersion in content by proving thermal feedback toa user through the feedback device used for a variety of content such asvirtual reality, augmented reality, and games.

In addition, the present invention is directed to providing a feedbackdevice capable of effectively dissipating waste heat generated during aprocess of providing thermal feedback such that a user does not feel thewaste heat.

Objects of the present invention may not be limited to the above, andother objects will be clearly understandable to those having ordinaryskill in the art from the disclosures provided below together withaccompanying drawings.

Technical Solution

According to an aspect of the present invention, a feedback deviceproviding a thermal experience according to a thermal event to a user inaccordance with reproduction of multimedia content including the thermalevent includes: a casing including a contact part that is a region withwhich the user comes into contact in a case in which the feedback deviceis moved when the content is reproduced and including a noncontact partthat is a region with which the user does not come into contact althoughthe feedback device is moved; a heat output module including a firstsubstrate and a second substrate having flexibility, a thermoelectricelement disposed between the first substrate and the second substrateand configured to perform a thermoelectric operation for the thermalfeedback wherein the thermoelectric operation includes an exothermicoperation and an endothermic operation, and a contact surface disposedon the second substrate, wherein the heat output module is disposedinside or outside a curved shape of the contact part due to theflexibility of the first substrate and the second substrate andtransfers heat generated by the thermoelectric operation to the userthrough the second substrate and the contact surface to output thethermal feedback; a feedback controller configured to control the heatoutput module; and a heat dissipation unit configured to dissipate wasteheat from the noncontact part when the waste heat is generated towardthe first substrate as the thermoelectric element performs theendothermic operation such that temperature of at least a portion of thecontact surface is less than a certain temperaturewherein the waste heatindicates the remaining heat, except for heat for providing the thermalfeedback among the heat generated in the thermoelectric element, whereinthe heat dissipation unit includes a heat transfer part configured toform a heat transfer path from the heat output module to the noncontactpart such that the waste heat is transferred from the heat output moduleto the noncontact part; and a heat dissipation part configured todissipate the waste heat received through the heat transfer path,wherein the waste heat is moved along the heat transfer path from thecontact part to the noncontact part in which the heat output module isdisposed and is dissipated from the noncontact part.

Technical solutions of the present invention may not be limited to theabove, and other technical solutions of the present invention will beclearly understandable to those having ordinary skill in the art fromthe disclosures provided below together with accompanying drawings.

Advantageous Effects

According to the present invention, thermal feedback can be provided toa user through a feedback device used for a variety of content such asvirtual reality, augmented reality, and a game, thereby improving user'simmersion in content.

In addition, according to the present invention, since waste heatgenerated during a process of providing thermal feedback is effectivelydissipated, a user cannot feel the waste heat.

Effects of the present invention may not be limited to the above, andother effects of the present invention will be clearly understandable tothose having ordinary skill in the art from the disclosures providedbelow together with accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a thermalexperience providing system according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a feedbackdevice according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a feedbackdevice according to another exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a feedbackdevice according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating one type of a heat output module accordingto an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a view illustrating another type of a heat output moduleaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a view illustrating an example of a heat output moduleaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a view illustrating various forms of arranging a heat outputmodule according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a view illustrating an arrangement of a heat output module ina feedback device according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a feedbackdevice when a heat dissipation part according to an exemplary embodimentof the present invention is provided.

FIGS. 11 to 20 are views illustrating a feedback device including acasing with various shapes according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 21 is a view illustrating a heat transfer part disposed on a wallof a casing according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 22 is a view illustrating a heat transfer part disposed in a casingaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 23 is a view illustrating a heat transfer part disposed in a casingaccording to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 24 to 26 are views illustrating examples in which a heatdissipation sheet according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention is applied.

FIG. 27 is a view illustrating an example of a noncontact part includinga material with high heat dissipation performance according to anexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 28 is a view illustrating an example in which patterns according toan exemplary embodiment of the present invention are applied.

FIG. 29 is a view illustrating an example in which hollow portionsaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention areapplied.

FIG. 30 is a view illustrating an example in which heat dissipation finsaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention areapplied to a noncontact part.

FIGS. 31 and 32 are views illustrating examples in which a heatdissipation fan according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention is applied.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the present invention, a feedback deviceproviding a thermal experience according to a thermal event to a user inaccordance with reproduction of multimedia content including the thermalevent may include: a casing including a contact part that is a regionwith which the user comes into contact in a case in which the feedbackdevice is moved when the content is reproduced, and a noncontact partthat is a region with which the user does not come into contact althoughthe feedback device is moved; a heat output module including a firstsubstrate and a second substrate having flexibility, a thermoelectricelement disposed between the first substrate and the second substrateand configured to perform a thermoelectric operation for the thermalfeedbackwherein the thermoelectric operation includes an exothermicoperation and an endothermic operation, and a contact surface disposedon the second substrate, wherein the heat output module is disposedinside or outside a curved shape of the contact part due to theflexibility of the first substrate and the second substrate andtransfers heat generated by the thermoelectric operation to the userthrough the second substrate and the contact surface to output thethermal feedback; and a feedback controller configured to control theheat output module.

Modes of the Invention

Exemplary embodiments described in this specification are made toclearly explain the scope of the invention to those having ordinaryskill in the art and do not intend to limit the present invention. Itshould be interpreted that the present invention may includesubstitutions and modifications within the technical scope of thepresent invention.

The terms used in this specification are selected from general terms,which are currently widely used, based on functions of componentsaccording to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and mayhave meanings varying according to the intentions of those skilled inthe art, the custom in the field of art or advent of new technology. Ifa specific term is used with a specific meaning, the meaning of the termwill be described specifically. Accordingly, the terms used in thisspecification should not be defined as simple names of the components,but be defined based on the actual meaning of the terms and the wholecontext throughout the present specification.

The accompanying drawings are to facilitate the explanation of thepresent invention and the shape in the drawings may be exaggerated forthe purpose of convenience of explanation, so the present inventionshould not be limited to the drawings.

The details of the generally known function and structure, which makethe subject matter of the present invention unclear, are omitted.

1. Thermal Experience Providing System

1.1. Overview of Thermal Experience Providing System

A thermal experience providing system 1000 according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention is a system which allows a user toexperience a thermal experience (TX). Specifically, the thermalexperience providing system 1000 may allow a user to experience athermal experience by outputting thermal feedback as a part of a formedof a representation of content when multimedia content is reproduced.

Herein, the thermal feedback is a kind of thermal stimulation whichallows a user to feel a thermal sensation by stimulating thermal sensoryorgans mainly distributed in a user's body and in the presentspecification the thermal feedback should be interpreted to include allthe thermal stimuli which stimulate a thermal sensory system of theuser.

Representative examples of the thermal feedback include hot feedback andcold feedback. The hot feedback means thermal feedback which allows auser to feel a hot sensation by applying hot heat to a hot spotdistributed on a user's skin and the cold feedback means thermalfeedback which allows a user to feel a cold sensation by applying coldheat to a cold spot distributed on a user's skin.

Herein, since the heat is a physical quantity represented by a scalarform, the expression, “applying cold heat,” or “transferring cold heat,”may not be an exact expression from a physical point of view. However,for convenience of description in the present description, a phenomenonin which heat is applied or transferred is expressed as “applying hotheat” or “transferring hot heat”, and a phenomenon opposite to thephenomenon, i.e., a phenomenon in which heat is absorbed is expressed as“applying cold heat” or “transferring cold heat”.

In addition, the thermal feedback in the present specification mayfurther include thermal grill feedback in addition to the hot feedbackand the cold feedback. When the hot heat and the cold heat are appliedat the same time, a user perceives a pain sensation instead ofindividually perceiving a hot sensation and a cold sensation. The painsensation is referred to as a so-called thermal grill illusion (TGI)(hereinafter, referred to as a “thermal pain sensation”). That is,thermal grill feedback means thermal feedback in which a combination ofhot heat and cold heat is applied, and may be provided mainly byconcurrently outputting the hot feedback and the cold feedback. Inaddition, the thermal grill feedback may be referred to as “thermal painsensation feedback” in terms of providing a sensation close to pain

Herein, the multimedia content may include various kinds of contentincluding a video, a game, a virtual reality application, an augmentedreality application, and an object recognition application.

In general, the multimedia content is provided to a user mainly inaccordance with an audiovisual expression form based on an image and avoice. However, in the present invention, a thermal expression based onthe above-mentioned thermal feedback may be included as an essentialexpression form.

Meanwhile, the “reproduction” of multimedia content should beinterpreted to include all operations of executing and representing themultimedia content to a user. Therefore, the term “reproduction” in thepresent specification should be interpreted to include not only anoperation of simply playing a video through a media player but also alloperations of executing a game program, a training program, a virtualreality application, an augmented reality application, an objectrecognition application, and the like.

1.2. Configuration of Thermal Experience Providing System

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the thermalexperience providing system according to the exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the thermal experience providing system 1000 mayinclude a content reproduction device 1200 and a feedback device 1600.

The content reproduction device 1200 may reproduce multimedia contentand output an image or a voice according to reproduction of content, andthe feedback device 1600 may output thermal feedback according toreproduction of content. That is, the content reproduction device 1200and the feedback device 1600 may be communicatively connected, and thefeedback device 1600 may acquire information for outputting thermalfeedback from the content reproduction device 1200. For example, thecontent reproduction device 1200 may decode video content includingvideo data, audio data, and thermal feedback data and may generate animage signal, an audio signal, and a thermal feedback signal accordingto the decoded video content. In an example, when thermal events occurduring the reproduction of the multimedia content, the contentreproduction device 1200 may generate a thermal feedback signalcorresponding to the thermal event. In this case, when a type andintensity of a first thermal event of the thermal events are differentfrom a type and intensity of a second thermal event of the thermalevents, thermal feedback signals corresponding to the thermal events mayalso be different from each other. That is, a thermal event signal maybe determined by a thermal event.

In addition, the content reproduction device 1200 may output an imageand a voice according to an image signal and an acoustic signal, maytransfer a thermal feedback signal to the feedback device 1600, and thefeedback device 1600 may receive the thermal feedback signal to outputthermal feedback.

Hereinafter, each element of the thermal experience providing system1000 will be described in more detail.

1.2.1. Feedback Device

The feedback device 1600 may output thermal feedback according tomultimedia reproduction.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the feedbackdevice according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the feedback device 1600 may include a casing 1610,a heat output module 1640, and a feedback controller 1690.

The casing 1610 forms an external appearance of the feedback device 1600and accommodates elements such as the heat output module 1640 and thefeedback controller 1690 therein. Accordingly, the accommodated elementsmay be protected from an external impact or the like by the casing 1610.

In an exemplary embodiment, the casing 1610 may include at least onemember and may have various shapes. For example, the casing 1610 mayinclude at least one member of a cylindrical member in which the casing1610 extends in a cylindrical shape in one direction, a stick member inwhich the casing 1610 extends in another shape rather than thecylindrical shape, an additional member directly or indirectly connectedto other members constituting the casing 1610, a disc-shaped member, anda ring member having an empty space therein (or, a half ring memberhaving a non-closed loop shape).

In addition, the casing 1610 may have various shapes for use of contentto be reproduced, such as a pad shape (or a joystick shape), a handleshape, a gun shape, a trackball shape, and a glove shape, usable mainlywith both hands.

In addition, the casing 1610 may have a cavity extending to pass througha member included in the casing 1610.

Furthermore, the casing 1610 may have a recess in which a partial regionthereof is recessed. As will be described below, waste heat may bedissipated from the cavity and/or the recess according to exemplaryembodiments.

In an exemplary embodiment, when transferred heat is absorbed by thecasing 1610, an exothermic or endothermic effect may be lowered. Thus,it is preferable that the casing 1610 is made of a material having anappropriate thickness and thermal conductivity. A thickness of thecasing 1610 may be properly determined in consideration of difficulty inensuring sufficient rigidity when the thickness is too small anddifficulty in dissipating heat when the thickness is too large.Specifically, the casing 1610 may be made of a metal material, a resinmaterial, or the like, which is capable of ensuring rigidity at theappropriate thickness as described above and has high thermalconductivity.

The casing 1610 may include a contact part 1611 and a noncontact part1615. The contact part 1611 may indicate a region with which a usercomes into contact when content is reproduced, and the noncontact part1615 may indicate a region with which a user does not come into contactwhen the content is reproduced. That is, the noncontact part 1615 doesnot mean a region which does not come into contact with a user's body(i.e., a hand or a foot). Although the noncontact part 1615intentionally comes into contact with the user's body, the noncontactpart 1615 may mean a region in which the user's body does not come intocontact with the feedback device 1600 according to a use method by whicha user uses content when the content is reproduced (for example, adesired use method by which the user uses the feedback device 1600described in a manual of the feedback device 1600). For example, whenthe content is reproduced, a region with which the user comes intocontact in order to move the feedback device 1600 may be referred to asthe contact part 1611, and a region with which the user does not comeinto contact although the feedback device 1600 is moved may be referredto as the noncontact part 1615.

In addition, in some cases, the contact part 1611/noncontact part 1615may be expressed through various names, such as a grip part/non-grippart, a hold part/non-hold part, and an operation part/non-operationpart.

Positions of the contact part 1611 and the noncontact part 1615 may bedetermined according to a shape of the feedback device 1600.

For example, when the feedback device 1600 has a pad shape, the contactpart 1611 may be a surrounding region of a button of the feedback device1600, and the noncontact part 1615 may be a central region or a rearregion of the feedback device 1600.

In another example, when the feedback device 1600 has a gun shape, thecontact part 1611 may be a trigger and/or a grip region of the feedbackdevice 1600, and the noncontact part 1615 may be a barrel region.

In addition, the contact part 1611 and the noncontact part 1615 may bemade of different members and may be positions in different regions ofthe same member.

Furthermore, the contact part 1611 and the noncontact part 1615 may ormay not be distinguished externally. Shapes of the casing 1610, thecontact part 1611, and the noncontact part 1615 will be described indetail with reference to FIGS. 11 to 20.

In addition, in an exemplary embodiment, the contact part 1611 and thenoncontact part 1615 may be made of different materials. For example, inorder to facilitate an easy grip for a user, the contact part 1611 maybe formed of a material having a high frictional force (for example,rubber or urethane) or may have a slip-resistant shape (for example, anuneven shape or the like). Furthermore, the contact part 1611 may bemade of a material which absorbs perspiration generated from a user'sskin well.

A contact surface 1641 of the heat output module 1640 to be describedlater may be formed in the contact part 1611.

In addition, a heat dissipation unit may be formed in the noncontactpart 1615. The heat dissipation unit may be configured to dissipatewaste heat generated in the heat output module 1640 to the outside ofthe feedback device 1600. Herein, the waste heat may refer to theremaining heat excluding heat which is used to provide a thermalexperience to the user among heat generated in the feedback device 1600.For example, the waste heat may include residual heat remaining in thefeedback device 1600 after thermal feedback is output in the heat outputmodule 1640. The heat dissipation unit will be described in more detailwith reference to FIG. 10 and FIGS. 21 to 32.

The heat output module 1640 may output thermal feedback. The thermalfeedback may be output in such a manner that when power applied to theheat output module 1640 including the contact surface 1641 in contactwith a user's body and the thermoelectric element connected to thecontact surface 1641, the heat output module 1640 applies hot heat orcold heat generated in the thermoelectric element to the user's bodythrough the contact surface 1641.

The heat output module 1640 may output the thermal feedback byperforming an exothermic operation, an endothermic operation, or athermal grill operation according to a thermal feedback signal receivedfrom the content reproduction device 1200 through a communication module1620. A user may experience the thermal experience through the outputthermal feedback.

The feedback controller 1690 may control overall operation of thefeedback device 1600. For example, the feedback controller 1690 mayreceive a thermal feedback signal from the content reproduction device1200 through the communication module 1620 and may apply power to thethermoelectric element of the heat output module 1640 such that thermalfeedback is output according to the thermal feedback signal.

The feedback controller 1690 may be implemented as a central processingunit (CPU) or a device similar to the CPU according to hardware,software, or combination thereof. Hardware-wise, the feedback controller1690 may be provided in the form of an electronic circuit configured toperform a control function by processing an electrical signal.Software-wise, the feedback controller 1690 may be provided in the formof a program or a code configured to drive a hardware circuit.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a feedbackdevice according to another exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

Referring to FIG. 3, a feedback device 1600 as described with referenceto FIG. 2 may further include a communication module 1620, a sensingmodule 1630, a vibration module 1650, a power module 1660, a user inputmodule 1680, and a memory 1685 in addition to a casing 1610, a heatoutput module 1640, and a feedback controller 1690.

The communication module 1620 performs communication with an externaldevice. The feedback device 1600 may transmit and receive data to andfrom the content reproduction device 1200 through the communicationmodule 1620. For example, the feedback device 1600 may receive a thermalfeedback signal from the content reproduction device 1200 through thecommunication module 1620.

The communication module 1620 is mainly classified into a wired type anda wireless type. Since the wired type and the wireless type each haveadvantages and disadvantages, in some cases, one feedback controller1600 may be provided with both the wired type and the wireless type.

In the case of the wired type, universal serial bus (USB) communicationis a typical example, but other methods are possible. For example, inthe case of a wired type, the communication module 1210 may include awired communication interface such as RS232, RS485, RS422, or the like.

In the case of the wireless type, a wireless personal area network(WPAN) based communication method such as Bluetooth, Bluetooth lowenergy (BLE), or ZigBee may be used. However, since a wirelesscommunication protocol is not limited thereto, the wireless typecommunication module 1620 may use a wireless local area network(WLAN)-based communication method such as Wi-Fi or other knowncommunication methods. A proprietary protocol developed by themanufacturer of the feedback device 1600 may also be used as awired/wireless communication protocol

The sensing module 1630 may sense a variety of information related tothe feedback device 1600. Representative examples of the sensing module1630 include an attitude sensor configured to sense an attitude of thefeedback device 1600 and a motion sensor configured to sense motion ofthe feedback device 1600. In addition, the sensing module 1630 mayinclude a biosensor configured to sense a body signal of a user. A gyrosensor and/or an acceleration sensor may be used as the attitude sensoror the motion sensor. The biosensor may include a temperature sensorconfigured to sense a body temperature of a user or an electrocardiogramsensor configured to sense an electrocardiogram. In addition, asdescribed above, the sensing module 1630 may sense whether the contentreproduction device 1200 is mounted on the mounting portion 1611.

The vibration module 1650 may output vibration feedback. Vibrationfeedback may function to further improve a user's immersion in a gametogether with thermal feedback. For example, the vibration feedback maybe generated when a character in a game is caught in an explosion scene,or when a player falls from a high position and is shocked. On the otherhand, as will be described later, the vibration feedback and the thermalfeedback may interwork with each other.

The user input module 1680 may obtain user input from a user. Forexample, when the feedback device 1600 is a game pad type having a padshape, the user input is mainly a user command for a game. For example,the user input may be a command for character control, menu selection,or the like in the game.

In another example, the user input may be a user command forestablishing a communication channel with the content reproductiondevice 1200. The user input module 1680 may be mainly a button or astick, and a user may input a user input by pressing the button ormoving the stick in a specific direction. Of course, the user inputmodule 1680 is not limited to the forms of the above-described examples.

The memory 1685 may store a variety of information. The memory 1685 maytemporarily or semipermanently store data. Examples of the memory 1685may include a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state disk (SSD), a flashmemory, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), and thelike. The memory 1685 may be provided as a form embedded in the feedbackdevice 1600 or as a form attachable to or detachable from the feedbackdevice 1600.

The memory 1685 may store an operation system (OS) for driving thefeedback device 1600 or a variety of data required or used for operatingthe feedback device 1600.

The power module 1660 supplies power required for operating the feedbackdevice 1600. The power module 1660 may supply power received from theoutside to each element required for operating the feedback device 1600or may store and supply electric energy to each element like a battery.For example, when the feedback device 1600 includes a heat dissipationfan, the power module 1660 may supply power required for driving theheat dissipation fan to the heat dissipation fan.

In an exemplary embodiment, the power module 1660 may receive power froman external device through a wired port such as a USB port. Of course,the wired port includes other ports capable of receiving power inaddition to the USB port. In an exemplary embodiment, when the casing1610 has a recess, the wired port, such as the USB port, may be disposedin the recess.

In addition, the power module 1660 may wirelessly receive power from theexternal device through a wireless charging port. For example, the powermodule 1660 may receive power from a power module 1250 of the contentreproduction device 1200 through the wired or wireless port. The powerreceived from the external device may be stored in a battery of thepower module 1660.

The feedback controller 1690 may perform overall control of the feedbackdevice 1600. For example, the feedback controller 1690 may transmit userinput which is input through the user input module 1680 or attitudeinformation of the feedback device 1600 sensed by the sensing module1630 to the content reproduction device 1200 by using the communicationmodule 1620. Alternatively, the feedback controller 1690 may receive avibration signal from the content reproduction device 1200 through thecommunication module 1620 and may allow a vibration sensor to generatevibration feedback. In addition, the feedback controller 1690 mayreceive a thermal feedback request signal from the content reproductiondevice 1200 through the communication module 1620 and may control theheat output module 1640 to generate thermal feedback.

Furthermore, when the feedback device 1600 includes a heat dissipationunit, the feedback controller 1690 may drive the heat dissipation unit.For example, when the feedback device 1600 includes the heat dissipationfan, the feedback controller 1690 may drive the heat dissipation fan andadjust a level of the heat dissipation fan.

2. Heat Output Module and Heat Dissipation Member

2.1. Overview of Heat Output Module

A heat output module 1640 may output thermal feedback for transferringhot heat and cold heat to a user by performing an exothermic operation,an endothermic operation, or a thermal grill operation. In a thermalexperience providing system 1000, when a feedback device 1600 receives athermal feedback signal, the heat output module 1640 mounted on thefeedback device 1600 may output thermal feedback to allow the thermalexperience providing system 1000 to provide thermal experience to auser.

In order to perform the above-described exothermic operation,endothermic operation, or thermal grill operation, the heat outputmodule 1640 may use a thermoelectric element such as a Peltier element.

The Peltier effect is a thermoelectric phenomenon discovered by JeanPeltier in 1834. According to the Peltier effect, when an electriccurrent is made to flow through a junction between dissimilar metals, anexothermic reaction occurs at one side of the junction and anendothermic reaction occurs at the other side of the junction accordingto a current direction. The Peltier element is an element which causessuch a Peltier effect. The Peltier element was originally made of ajoined body of dissimilar metals such as bismuth and antimony. However,recently, the Peltier element has been manufactured through a method ofdisposing N-P semiconductors between two metal plates so as to havehigher thermoelectric efficiency.

When a current is applied to the Peltier element, heat generation andheat absorption may instantaneously occur at both metal plates, aswitching between the heat generation and the heat absorption may bemade according to a current direction, and a degree of the heatgeneration or absorption may be relatively precisely adjusted accordingto a current amount. Thus, the Peltier element is suitable to be usedfor an exothermic operation or an endothermic operation for thermalfeedback. In particular, recently, as a flexible thermoelectric elementhas been developed, it has been possible to manufacture the flexiblethermoelectric element in a form with which a user's body easily comesinto contact therewith such that commercial availability of the flexiblethermoelectric element as the feedback device 1600 has been increasing.

Therefore, as electricity is applied to the above-describedthermoelectric element, the heat output module 1640 may perform anexothermic operation or an endothermic operation.

Physically, an exothermic reaction and an endothermic reactionconcurrently occur in the thermoelectric element to which electricity isapplied. However, in the present specification, in the case of the heatoutput module 1640, an operation in which a surface in contact with auser's body generates heat is defined as an exothermic operation, and anoperation in which the surface in contact with the user's body absorbsheat is defined as an endothermic operation. For example, thethermoelectric element may be manufactured by disposing N-Psemiconductors on a substrate 1642. When a current is applied to thethermoelectric element, heat generation occurs at one side of thethermoelectric element, and heat absorption occurs at the other side ofthe thermoelectric element. When one side of the thermoelectric elementfacing the user's body is defined as a front side and a side opposite tothe one side is defined as a rear side, an operation in which the heatgeneration occurs at the front side and an operation in which the heatabsorption occurs at the rear side may be defined as an operation inwhich the heat output module 1640 performs an exothermic operation. Onthe contrary, an operation in which the heat absorption occurs at thefront side and the heat generation occurs at the rear side may bedefined as an operation in which the heat output module 1640 performs anendothermic operation.

In addition, since a thermoelectric effect is induced by electriccharges flowing in the thermoelectric element, it is possible todescribe electricity inducing the exothermic operation or theendothermic operation of the heat output module 1640 in terms of acurrent. In the present specification, however, for convenience ofdescription, description will be made mainly in terms of a voltage. Thisis merely for convenience of description, and inventive thinking is notrequired for a person having ordinary skill in the art to which thepresent invention belongs (hereinafter referred to as “a person skilledin the art”) to interpret the exothermic operation or the endothermicoperation in terms of a current. Therefore, the present invention is notlimited to expression in terms of the voltage.

2.2. Configuration of Heat Output Module

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a feedbackdevice according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, a feedback device 1600 includes a feedbackcontroller 1690 and a heat output module 1640.

According to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, thefeedback controller 1690 may be a configuration distinguished from theheat output module 1640 or may be included in the heat output module1640. In addition, the present invention is not limited thereto, andwhen the feedback controller 1690 exists outside the heat output module1640, a separate feedback controller may exist in the heat output module1640 independently from the feedback controller 1690. In the presentspecification, for convenience of description, descriptions assume thatthe feedback controller 1690 is distinguished from the heat outputmodule 1640.

The heat output module 1640 may include a contact surface 1641, asubstrate 1642, a thermoelectric element array 1643 disposed on thesubstrate 1642, and a power terminal 1649 configured to apply power tothe heat output module 1640.

The contact surface 1641 comes into direct contact with a user's body totransfer hot heat or cold heat generated by the heat output module 1640to a user's skin. In other words, a portion of the feedback device 1600which comes into direct contact with the user's body may be the contactsurface 1641. For example, the contact surface 1641 may be formed in atleast a portion of a contact part 1611 of the feedback device 1600.However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the contactsurface 1641 may be formed on the entirety of the contact part 1611.

In an exemplary embodiment, the contact surface 1641 may be provided asa layer directly or indirectly attached to an outer surface (facing auser's body) of the thermoelectric element array 1643 configured toperform an exothermic operation or an endothermic operation in the heatoutput module 1640. The contact surface 1641 having such a type may bedisposed between the thermoelectric element array 1643 and a user's skinto perform a heat transfer. To this end, the contact surface 1641 may bemade of a material having high thermal conductivity such that heat iswell transferred from the thermoelectric element array 1643 to theuser's body. In addition, the contact surface 1641 having a layer typemay also have a function of protecting the thermoelectric element array1643 from an external impact by preventing the thermoelectric elementarray 1643 from being directly exposed to the outside.

Meanwhile, it has been described that the contact surface 1641 is aseparate configuration disposed on the outer surface of thethermoelectric element array 1643, and alternatively, the outer surfaceitself of the thermoelectric element array 1643 may become the contactsurface 1641. In other words, the whole or a portion of a front surfaceof the thermoelectric element array 1643 may become the contact surface1641.

The substrate 1642 functions to support a thermoelectric couple unit1645 and is made of an insulating material. For example, ceramic may beselected as a material of the substrate 1642. The substrate 1642 mayhave a flat plate shape, but it is not necessarily limited thereto.

The substrate 1642 may be made of a flexible material so as to haveflexibility universally available to various types of the feedbackdevices 1600 having the contact surface 1641 with various shapes. Forexample, in the feedback device 1600 having a gaming controller type,portions of the feedback controller, with which a hand of a user comesinto contact, mostly have a curved shape. In order to use the heatoutput module 1640 at the portion having the curved shape, it may beimportant for the heat output module 1640 to have flexibility. To thisend, examples of a flexible material used in the substrate 1642 mayinclude glass fiber or flexible plastic.

The thermoelectric element array 1643 may perform a thermoelectricoperation including an exothermic operation, an endothermic operation,and a thermal grill operation. The thermoelectric element array 1643includes a plurality of thermoelectric couple units 1645 disposed on thesubstrate 1642. As the thermoelectric couple units 1645, a pair ofdifferent metals (for example, bismuth and antimony) may be used, but apair of N-type and P-type semiconductors may be mainly used.

In the thermoelectric couple unit 1645, one ends of the pair ofsemiconductors are electrically connected to each other, and the otherends thereof are electrically connected to adjacent thermoelectriccouple unit 1645. Electrical connection between the pair ofsemiconductors 1645 a and 1645 b or electrical connection with adjacentsemiconductors is achieved by a conductor member 1646 disposed on thesubstrate 1642. The conductor member 1646 may be a lead wire or anelectrode made of copper, silver or the like.

The thermoelectric couple units 1645 may be electrically connected inseries. The thermoelectric couple units 1645 connected in series mayconstitute a thermoelectric couple group 1644. The thermoelectric couplegroups 1644 may constitute the thermoelectric element array 1643.

The power terminal 1649 may apply power to the heat output module 1640.The thermoelectric element array 1643 may generate or absorb heataccording to a voltage value and a current direction of power applied tothe power terminal 1649. More specifically, two power terminals 1649 maybe connected to one thermoelectric couple group 1644. Accordingly, whena plurality of thermoelectric couple groups 1644 are provided, two powerterminals 1649 may be disposed for each thermoelectric couple group1644. Due to such a connection method, a voltage value or a currentdirection may be individually controlled for each thermoelectric couplegroup 1644, and thus, it is possible to adjust whether to perform anyone of heat generation and heat adsorption and to adjust a degree of theheat generation or the heat absorption.

As will also be described later, the power terminal 1649 receives anelectrical signal output by the feedback controller 1690, and as aresult, the feedback controller 1690 may adjust the direction orintensity of an electrical signal and may control an exothermicoperation and an endothermic operation of the heat output module 1640.Furthermore, when the plurality of thermoelectric couple groups 1644 areprovided, an electric signal applied to each power terminal 1649 may beindependently adjusted to individually control each thermoelectriccouple group 1644.

The feedback controller 1690 may apply an electric signal to thethermoelectric element array 1643 through the power terminal 1649.Specifically, the feedback controller 1690 may receive information onthermal feedback from a controller 1290 of a content reproduction device1200 through a communication module 1620, may analyze the information onthe thermal feedback to determine a type or strength of the thermalfeedback, may generate and apply an electric signal according to adetermination result to the power terminal 1649, and thus may allow thethermoelectric element array 1643 to output the thermal feedback.

To this end, the feedback controller 1690 may operate and process avariety of information and may output an electric signal to thethermoelectric element array 1643 according to a processing result,thereby controlling operation of the thermoelectric element array 1643.Thus, the feedback controller 1690 may be implemented as a computer or adevice similar to the computer according to hardware, software, or acombination thereof. Hardware-wise, the feedback controller 1690 may beprovided in the form of an electronic circuit configured to perform acontrol function by processing an electrical signal. Software-wise, thefeedback controller 1690 may be provided in the form of a program or acode configured to drive a hardware circuit.

A plurality of heat output modules 1640 as described above may beprovided in the feedback device 1600. For example, when the contact partof the feedback device 1600 is divided into a plurality of contactparts, the heat output module 1640 may be mounted on each of theplurality of contact parts. As described above, when the plurality ofheat output modules 1640 are provided in one feedback device 1600, thefeedback controller 1690 may integrally control all the heat outputmodules 1640, or the feedback controller 1690 may be provided in each ofthe heat output modules 1640. In addition, when a plurality of feedbackdevices 1600 are provided in a thermal experience providing system 1000,one or more heat output modules 1640 may be disposed in each of thefeedback devices 1600.

2.3. Type and Example of Heat Output Module

Some representative types of the heat output module 1640 will bedescribed based on the description of the configuration of the heatoutput module 1640.

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating one type of a heat output module accordingto an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, in one type of a heat output module 1640, a pair ofsubstrates 1642 and 1642 a are provided to face each other. A contactsurface 1641 may be positioned outside one substrate 1642 of the twosubstrates 1642 and 1642 a to transfer heat generated by the heat outputmodule 1640 to a user's body. In addition, when a flexible substrate1642 is used as the substrates 1642 and 1642 a, the heat output module1640 may have flexibility.

A plurality of thermoelectric couple units 1645 are positioned betweenthe substrates 1642 and 1642 a. Each of the thermoelectric couple units1645 includes a semiconductor pair of an N-type semiconductor and aP-type semiconductor. In each of the thermoelectric couple units 1645,one ends of the N-type semiconductor and the P-type semiconductor areelectrically connected to each other through a conductor member 1646. Inaddition, unit elements are electrically connected in such a manner thatthe other end of an N-type semiconductor and the other end of a P-typesemiconductor in any thermoelectric couple unit 1645 are electricallyconnected to the other end of a P-type semiconductor and the other endof an N-type semiconductor of adjacent thermoelectric couple units 1645,respectively, through the conductor members 1646. Therefore, theconnected unit elements are connected in series to one thermoelectriccouple group 1644. In the present type, the entirety of a thermoelectricelement array 1643 may include one thermoelectric couple group 1644, andall the thermoelectric couple units 1645 are connected in series betweenpower terminals 1649 so that the heat output module 1640 may perform thesame operation throughout an entire surface thereof. That is, when poweris applied to the power terminal 1649 in one direction, the heat outputmodule 1640 may perform an exothermic operation. When power is appliedin a direction opposite to one direction, the heat output module 1640may perform an endothermic operation.

FIG. 6 is a view illustrating another type of a heat output moduleaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, another type of a heat output module 1640 issimilar to one type described above. In the present type, athermoelectric element array 1643 may include a plurality ofthermoelectric couple groups 1644, and each of the thermoelectric couplegroups 1644 may be connected to each power terminal 1649, therebyindependently controlling each of the thermoelectric couple groups 1644.For example, currents in different directions may be applied to a firstthermoelectic couple group 1644-1 and a second thermoelectric couplegroup 1644-2, thereby allowing the first thermoelectric couple group1644-1 to perform an exothermic operation (wherein a current directionis referred to as a “forward direction”), and the second thermoelectriccouple group 1644-2 to perform an endothermic operation (wherein acurrent direction is referred to as a “reverse direction”). In anotherexample, voltages having different values may be applied to a powerterminal of the first thermoelectric couple group 1644-1 and a powerterminal of the second thermoelectric couple group 1644-2, therebyallowing the first thermoelectric couple group 1644-1 and the secondthermoelectric couple group 1644-2 to perform different degrees ofexothermic operations or endothermic operations.

Meanwhile, FIG. 6 illustrates that the thermoelectric couple groups 1644are arranged in a one-dimensional array in the thermoelectric elementarray 1643. Alternatively, the thermoelectric couple groups 1644 may bearranged in a two-dimensional array. On the other hand, it has beendescribed that the types of the heat output module 1640 use a pair ofsubstrates 1642 and 1642 a facing each other. Alternatively, a singlesubstrate may be used.

The various types of the heat output module 1640 may be combined ormodified within a range obvious to a person skilled in the art. Forexample, while it has been described that in each of the types of theheat output module 1640, the contact surface 1641 is formed on a frontsurface of the heat output module 1640 as a layer separately from theheat output module 1640, the front surface itself of the heat outputmodule 1640 may become the contact surface 1641. For example, in onetype of the heat output module 1640 described above, an outer surface ofone substrate 1642 may become the contact surface 1641.

FIG. 7 is a view illustrating an example of a heat output moduleaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 7, (a) and (b) of FIG. 7 are cross-sectional viewsillustrating a case in which a heat output module 1640 is disposed on aninner surface of a casing 1610. (c) to (f) of FIG. 7 are cross-sectionalviews illustrating a case in which a heat output module 1640 is disposedon an outer surface of a casing 1610.

For convenience of description, in FIG. 7, an arrangement of the heatoutput module 1640 when the casing 1610 is a cylindrical member will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 7. However, the present invention isnot limited thereto, and content described with reference to FIG. 7 maybe applied as it is even when the casing 1610 includes other memberssuch as a stick member. In addition, the heat output module 1640 isillustrated in FIG. 7 as being formed in a portion of the casing 1610,but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the heat outputmodule 1640 may be formed on the entirety of the casing 1610.

Referring to (a), the heat output module 1640 may be formed in a partialregion of the inner surface of the casing 1610. In this case, the heatoutput module 1640 may be disposed on an inner surface of a contact part1611 of an entire region of the casing 1610. Of course, the heat outputmodule 1640 may not be positioned to exactly correspond to the contactpart 1611, and a region corresponding to the contact part 1611 may bewider than a region in which the heat output module 1640 is disposed.

Referring to (b), the heat output module 1640 may be formed in a partialregion of an inner surface of the casing 1610, and a heat-conductivelayer 1641 a may be formed between the heat output module 1640 and thecasing 1610. Herein, the heat-conductive layer 1641 a may have an areagreater than that of the heat output module 1640 and may conduct heatgenerated in the heat output module 1640 to a region wider than the heatoutput module 1640. That is, the heat-conductive layer 1641 a may bedisposed on an inner surface of a contact part 1611 of an entire regionof the casing 1610. Specifically, in the present invention, the heatoutput module 1640 may provide cold or hot stimulation to a user's handwhich grips the contact surface 1611 of the casing 1610. However, heatis transferred between the heat output module 1640 and the casing 1610in a state in which the heat output module 1640 and the casing 1610 arein close contact (surface contact) with each other in asurface-to-surface manner. Since the heat output module 1640 and thecasing 1610 may not be in complete contact with each othermicroscopically, heat may not be smoothly transferred. To this end, inthe present invention, the heat-conductive layer 1641 a may be providedto improve and extend an effect of an exothermic or endothermicoperation performed by the heat output module 1640. The heat-conductivelayer 1641 a is interposed between the heat output module 1640 and thecasing 1610. As described above, a heat transfer effect may be decreaseddue to the heat output module 1640 and the casing 1610 not being incomplete contact with each other. However, since the heat-conductivelayer 1641 a is interposed between the heat output module 1640 and thecasing 1610, it is surely possible to realize close contact at bothsides. As a result, of course, the heat transfer effect may beconsiderably improved.

In addition, when the heat output module 1640 is formed on the entirecontact surface 1611, there may be some disadvantages in terms ofefficiency due to excessive power consumption or the like. To this end,in the present invention, the heat-conductive layer 1641 a may be formedto have an area greater than that of the heat output module 1640. Due tosuch a configuration, since an exothermic or endothermic effect may beextended by the heat-conductive layer 1641 a, the area of the heatoutput module 1640 may be considerably reduced, thereby saving powerconsumed in the heat output module 1640 and decreasing volume and weightof the heat output module 1640.

Of course, the heat-conductive layer 1641 a may be formed to have thesame area as the heat output module 1640 according to a design.

In an exemplary embodiment, the heat-conductive layer 1641 a may be aconfiguration separate from the contact surface 1641. In addition, theheat-conductive layer 1641 a may replace the contact surface 1641. Inthis case, the heat-conductive layer 1641 a may be provided as a layerdirectly or indirectly attached to an outer surface (facing a user'sbody) of a thermoelectric element array 1643 and may receive heat fromthe thermoelectric element array 1643.

In an exemplary embodiment, the heat-conductive layer 1641 a may be madeof any material without any particular limitation as long as thematerial is capable of conducting heat well. For example, theheat-conductive layer 1641 a may be made of various materials such as apolymer material, a metal material or the like, which have high thermalconductivity. In addition, generally, the heat-conductive layer 1641 amay be formed in a thin film shape, which is much thinner than the heatoutput module 1640.

Referring to (c), the heat output module 1640 may be formed in a partialregion of an outer surface of the casing 1610.

That is, the heat output module 1640 may be exposed at the outer surfaceof the casing 1610. More specifically, a hole or a groove, whichcorresponds to a shape and an area of the heat output module 1640, maybe formed in a wall of the casing 1610. Then, the heat output module1640 may be inserted into the hole or the groove. In this case, a regioncorresponding to the hole or the groove may become a contact surface1611 of the casing 1610.

In an exemplary embodiment, the heat output module 1640 may be providedin various types as shown in (e) to (f) according to a differencebetween a wall thickness of the casing 1610 and a thickness of the heatoutput module 1640.

(e) illustrates a case in which the wall thickness of the casing 1610and the thickness of the heat output module 1640 are formed to be thesame. In this case, a hole, which has a shape and an area correspondingto the shape and the area of the heat output module 1640, may be formedin a wall of the casing 1610 so that the heat output module 1640 may beinserted into the hole.

In addition, (f) illustrates a case in which the thickness of the heatoutput module 1640 is formed to be smaller than the wall thickness ofthe casing 1610. In this case, a groove, which has a shape and an areacorresponding to the shape and the area of the heat output module 1640,may be formed in a wall of the casing 1610 so that the heat outputmodule 1640 may be inserted into the groove. When the hole or the grooveis formed in the casing 1610 as described above, the heat output module1640 does not protrude outside the casing 1610. Thus, when a user gripsthe casing 1610, there may be little foreign body sensation. Of course,the present invention is not limited thereto, and the heat output module1640 may be disposed on an outer surface of the casing 1610 withoutforming a hole or a groove in the casing 1610.

Referring to (d), the heat output module 1640 may be formed in a partialregion of an outer surface of the casing 1610, and a heat-conductivelayer 1641 a may be formed on an outer surface of the heat output module1640. In this case, the heat-conductive layer 1641 a may be disposed onan outer surface of a contact part 1611.

For example, as shown in (d), a hole or a groove, which has a shape andan area corresponding to a shape and an area of the heat output module1640, may be formed in a wall of the casing 1610. Then, the heat outputmodule 1640 may be inserted into the hole or the groove. In this case,the heat-conductive layer 1641 a may have an area greater than that ofthe heat output module 1640. The heat-conductive layer 1641 a may beformed on an outer surface of the heat output module 1640 to cover apartial region of the casing 1610 and the heat output module 1640.

However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the heatoutput module 1640 and the heat-conductive layer 1641 a may have otherexemplary embodiments different from that illustrated in (d). Forexample, the heat output module 1640 may be formed on the outer surfaceof the casing 1610, and the heat-conductive layer 1641 a may cover theouter surface of the heat output module 1640 and a partial region of thecasing 1610.

Of course, the heat-conductive layer 1641 a may be formed to have thesame area as the heat output module 1640 according to a design.

FIG. 8 is a view illustrating various forms of arranging a heat outputmodule according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 8, as shown in (a), a heat output module 1640 may bedisposed in an entire region of a casing 1610. For example, as shown in(a), the heat output module 1640 may be formed in an entire region in acircumferential direction of the casing 1610 and may be divided intopieces in a lengthwise direction of the casing 1610.

In addition, as shown in (b), a heat output module 1640 may be formed inan entire region in a lengthwise direction of a casing 1610 and may bedivided into pieces in a circumferential direction of the casing 1610.

Furthermore, as shown in (c), a heat output module 1640 may be dividedinto pieces in both of a circumferential direction and a lengthwisedirection of a casing 1610.

In an exemplary embodiment, as described with reference to (a), (b), and(c) of FIG. 8, when the heat output module 1640 is disposed in theentire region of the casing 1610 and a heat-conductive layer 1641 a isdisposed in a wider region compared to the heat output module 1640, theheat-conductive layer 1641 a may be formed in a shape covering theentirety of the casing 1610. In other words, even when the heat outputmodule 1640 is divided and disposed into pieces, the heat-conductivelayer 1641 a may extend an exothermal or endothermic effect, therebyproviding thermal feedback through the entire region of the casing 1610.In this case, the casing 1610 may include a contact part 1611 and maynot include a noncontact part 1615.

Of course, thermal feedback may not be provided through some regions ofthe casing 1610 according to an arrangement area of the heat-conductivelayer 1641 a. In this case, the some regions may become the noncontactpart 1615, and a region through which thermal feedback is provided maybecome the contact part 1611.

3. Heat Dissipation Unit

3.1. Overview of Heat Dissipation Unit

As described above, a heat output module 1640 performs an exothermicoperation and an endothermic operation to output thermal feedbackthrough a contact surface 1641. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, whenpower is applied to a power terminal 1649 in a first direction in theheat output module 1640, heat may be generated in a substrate 1642, andheat may be absorbed in a substrate 1642 a. In this case, when a contactsurface 1641 is disposed outside the substrate 1642, hot feedback isprovided through the contact surface 1641. In addition, when power isapplied to the power terminal 1649 in a second direction, heat isabsorbed in the substrate 1642, and heat is generated in the substrate1642 a. When the contact surface 1641 is disposed outside the substrate1642, cold feedback is provided through the contact surface 1641. Inthis case, waste heat is transferred from the substrate 1642 a in afeedback device 1600. Herein, the waste heat may refer to the remainingheat excluding heat which is used to provide a thermal experience to auser among heat generated in the feedback device 1600.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 6, a thermoelectric element array 1643 mayinclude a plurality of thermoelectric couple groups 1644, and each ofthe thermoelectric couple groups 1644 may be connected to a powerterminal 1649, thereby independently controlling each of thethermoelectric couple groups 1644. Thus, when currents in differentdirections are applied to a first thermoelectric couple group 1644-1 anda second thermoelectric couple group 1644-2, the first thermoelectriccouple group 1644-1 performs an exothermic operation so that heat isgenerated in one region of the contact surface 1641. In addition, thesecond thermoelectric couple group 1644-2 performs an endothermicoperation so that heat is absorbed in the other region of the contactsurface 1641, thereby providing thermal grill feedback through thecontact surface 1641. In this case, waste heat is transferred from aregion of the substrate 1642 a corresponding to the secondthermoelectric couple group 1644-2 in the feedback device 1600.

When an amount of the waste heat is small, it does not matter. However,when an amount of the waste heat is greater than or equal to a certainlevel, components of the feedback device 1600 may be thermally degraded,and an unnecessary heat sensation is transferred to a user by the wasteheat, resulting in a reduction in a thermal experience of the user.

Specifically, in the past, the heat output module 1640 could not bedisposed at a curved portion of the feedback controller 1600. As aresult, a region of the feedback controller 1600 in which the heatoutput module 1640 may be disposed was limited. That is, it has beendifficult for the heat output module 1640 to directly provide thermalfeedback to a user. As the thermal feedback has not been directlyprovided to the user, the waste heat also has not reduced a thermalexperience of the user.

On the contrary, in the present invention, the substrate 1642 of theheat output module 1640 may be made of a flexible material to haveflexibility so that the heat output module 1640 may be disposed at acurved portion of the feedback device 1600. As a result, the heat outputmodule 1640 may directly provide thermal feedback to a user, and thewaste heat may also have a considerable influence on a thermalexperience of the user.

In a specific example, referring to FIG. 9, (a) of FIG. 9 illustrates afeedback device 1600-2 in which a casing 1610 includes a stick memberand a ring member. (b) is a cross-sectional view illustrating a contactpart 1611 when a heat output module 1640 is disposed on an inner surfaceof the contact part 1611 in the feedback device 1600-2. (c) is across-sectional view illustrating the contact part 1611 when the heatoutput module 1640 is disposed on an outer surface of the contact part1611 in the feedback device 1600-2.

In (a), (b), and (c) of FIG. 9, when cold feedback is provided to thecontact part 1611, heat may be absorbed in a contact surface 1641 of aheat output module 1640 which is disposed to face the contact part 1611,and heat may be generated in a substrate 1624 a disposed on a surfaceopposite to the contact surface 1641, i.e., the inner surface of thecontact part 1611. In this case, residual heat generated in thesubstrate 1642 a may become waste heat which reduces a thermalexperience of a user and thermally degrades components of the feedbackdevice 1600-2.

In another example, when hot feedback is provided to the contact part1611, heat may be generated in the contact surface 1641 of the heatoutput module 1640, which is disposed to face the contact part 1611, andheat may be absorbed in the substrate 1624 a disposed on the innersurface of the contact part 1611. The heat generated in the contactsurface 1641 is used for a thermal experience of a user. However, evenafter an exothermic operation is stopped in the contact surface 1641,residual heat may be generated in the contact part 1611. Such residualheat may reduce a thermal experience of a user. Thus, the residual heatin the contact surface 1641 may also become waste heat. In addition,among heat generated in the feedback device, heat which reduces athermal experience of a user may become waste heat.

The waste heat may be generated when the heat output module 1640 isdisposed on the outer surface of the contact part 1611 as shown in (c)as well as when the heat output module 1640 is disposed on the innersurface of the contact part 1611 as shown in (b). In addition, in somecases, a level of the waste heat may be high enough that a user cannotbring a hand into contact with the contact part 1611. In this case, inorder for a user to use the feedback device 1600-2 without inconvenienceand to increase lifespan of the feedback device 1600-2, an elementconfigured to appropriately dissipate waste heat is essential.Hereinafter, technology for dissipating waste heat to the outside, thatis, heat dissipation technology will be described in detail.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a feedbackdevice when a heat dissipation unit is provided according to anexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 10, a feedback device 1600 includes a feedbackcontroller 1690 and a heat output module 1640. Since content describedwith reference to FIG. 4 may be applied as it is to the feedbackcontroller 1690 and the heat output module 1640, detailed descriptionsthereof will be omitted.

In addition, the feedback device 1600 further includes a casing 1610.The casing 1610 may include a contact part 1611 and a noncontact part1615. Herein, the contact part 1611 may be a region in which thermalfeedback is output. Heat generated in a contact surface 1641 of the heatoutput module 1640 may be transferred to the contact part 1611, and auser may receive thermal experience due to the heat transferred to thecontact part 1611. On the other hand, the noncontact part 1615 is aregion in which thermal feedback is not output, and heat generated inthe contact surface 1641 is not transferred to the noncontact part 1615.

In addition, the feedback device 1600 further includes a heatdissipation unit 1670. The heat dissipation unit 1670 may receive wasteheat which is generated due to the output of the thermal feedback in theheat output module 1640, i.e., the contact surface 1641, a substrate1642, and a thermoelectric element array 1643. Then, the heatdissipation unit 1670 may dissipate the waste heat to the outside of thefeedback device 1600.

In an exemplary embodiment, the heat dissipation unit 1670 may dissipatethe waste heat to the outside through the noncontact part 1615 but maynot dissipate the waste heat to the outside through the contact part1611. Specifically, as described above, the contact part 1611 is aregion with which a user comes into contact when content is reproducedand in which thermal feedback is provided. When waste heat is dissipatedthrough the contact part 1611, a thermal experience of a user may bereduced by the waste heat. On the contrary, the noncontact part 1615 isa region in which a user's body does not come into contact with thefeedback device 1600 due to a usage pattern when content is reproducedand which is irrelevant to the provision of thermal feedback. When wasteheat is dissipated through the noncontact part 1615, the dissipatedwaste heat may not affect a thermal experience of a user. Therefore, theheat dissipation unit 1670 may dissipate waste heat through thenoncontact part 1615.

In order for the waste heat to be dissipated through the noncontact part1615, the waste heat should be transferred to the noncontact part 1615and the transferred waste heat should be dissipated from the noncontactpart 1615.

To this end, the heat dissipation unit 1670 includes a heat transferpart configured to transfer waste heat from the heat output module 1640to the noncontact part 1615 and a heat dissipation part configured todissipate waste heat from the noncontact part 1615. According toexemplary embodiments, the heat dissipation unit 1670 may include boththe heat transfer part and the heat dissipation part or may include onlyone of the heat transfer part and the heat dissipation part.

In addition, as described above, in an exemplary embodiment, the wasteheat may be generated when cold feedback or thermal grill feedback isoutput from the heat output module. Accordingly, the heat dissipationunit 1670 may transfer or dissipate the waste heat from when the coldfeedback or the thermal grill feedback is output from the heat outputmodule.

For convenience of description, a region through which waste heat isdissipated in a feedback device having various shapes, i.e., a positionof a noncontact part 1615 will be firstly described, and then, a heattransfer part and a heat dissipation part will be sequentiallydescribed.

3.2. Waste Heat Dissipation Region

FIGS. 11 to 20 are views illustrating a feedback device including acasing with various shapes according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

Referring to FIG. 11, a casing 1610-1 of a feedback device 1600-1 mayinclude a cylindrical member. In addition, the casing 1610-1 may have acavity 1810-1 extending to pass through the cylindrical member, and thecavity 1810-1 may be formed in an inner surface of the cylindricalmember.

In an exemplary embodiment, when content is reproduced, a user's bodymay come into contact with an outer surface of the casing 1600-1, i.e.,a circumferential surface of the cylindrical member due to a usagepattern of a user. The user's body may not come into contact with theinner surface of the case 1610-1, i.e., the cavity 1810-1. Accordingly,in the feedback device 1600-1, the outer surface of the casing 1600-1may become a contact part 1611-1, and the inner surface of the casing1600-1, i.e., the cavity 1810-1, may become a noncontact part 1615-1.

In an exemplary embodiment, a heat output module 1640 may be disposed inat least a partial region of the contact part 1611-1. Waste heatgenerated in the heat output module disposed in the contact part 1611-1may be dissipated through the at least a partial region of thenoncontact part 1615-1.

Referring to FIG. 12, a casing 1610-2 of a feedback device 1600-2 mayinclude a stick member 1610-2 a and a ring member 1610-2 b. In anexemplary embodiment, the ring member 1610-2 b may have a cavity 1810-2which passes through the interior of the ring member 1610-2 b.

When content is reproduced, the stick member 1610-2 a may be gripped bya user's hand, and the ring member 1610-2 b may not be gripped by theuser's hand. In this case, the stick member 1610-2 a may become acontact part 1611-2, and the ring member 1610-2 b may become anoncontact part 1615-2.

When content is reproduced, the feedback device 1600-2 may outputthermal feedback to the contact part 1611-2. A heat output module 1640may be disposed in the contact part 1611-2 so as to output thermalfeedback. For example, the heat output module 1640 may be disposed in afirst contact part 1611-2 a formed at a lower stick of the stick member1610-2 a, may be disposed in a second contact part 1611-2 b formed at abutton of the stick member 1610-2 a, or may be formed in a third contactpart 1611-2 c formed at a trigger button of the stick member 1610-2 a.And, waste heat generated in the heat output module 1640 may bedissipated through at least a partial region of the noncontact part1615-2 that is the ring member 1610-2 b. For example, the waste heat maybe dissipated from the ring member 1610-2 b to the cavity 1810-2, andmay be dissipated outside the ring member 1610-2 b.

Referring to FIG. 13, a casing 1610-3 of a feedback device 1600-3 mayinclude a stick member 1610-3 a and a ring member 1610-3 b.

In an example of FIG. 13, the stick member 1610-3 a may include a stickpart 1610-3 ab having a stick shape and a hemispherical part 1610-3 aahaving a hemispherical shape. In an exemplary embodiment, a certainbutton may be provided in the stick part 1610-3 ab and/or thehemispherical part 1610-3 aa. In FIG. 13, since the ring member 1610-3 bis not closed, the ring member 1610-3 b may be expressed as a half ringmember.

When content is reproduced, due to a usage pattern, a user's hand maycome into contact with the stick member 1610-3 a and may not come intocontact with the ring member 1610-3 b. In this case, the stick member1610-3 a may become a contact part 1611-3, and the ring member 1610-3 bmay become a noncontact part 1615-3.

In an exemplary embodiment, a heat output module 1640 may be disposed inthe contact part 1611-3 so as to provide thermal feedback. For example,the heat output module 1640 may be disposed in the stick part 1610-3 aband/or the hemispherical part 1610-3 aa. Specifically, in order toprovide thermal feedback to a user's palm, the heat output module 1640may be disposed in at least a portion of a circumference of the stickpart 1610-3 ab. In addition, in order to output thermal feedback to auser's finger, the heat output module 1640 may be disposed in at least aportion of a circumference of the hemispherical part 1610-3 aa.Furthermore, in order to provide thermal feedback to a user's finger,the heat output module 1640 may be disposed in at least a portion ofbuttons 1611-3 a, 1611-3 b, and 1611-3 c of the stick part 1610-3 ab andthe hemispherical part 1610-3 aa.

Waste heat generated in the heat output module 1640 may be dissipatedthrough at least a partial region of an inner side and/or an outer sideof the noncontact part 1615-3 that is the ring member 1610-3 b.

Referring to FIG. 14, a casing 1610-4 of a feedback device 1600-4 mayinclude a stick member 1610-4 a and an additional member 1610-4 b.

Herein, the additional member 1610-4 b may be connected to at least oneregion of the stick member 1610-4 a. An example of the additional member1610-4 b may include an accessory, a display, various sensors, abattery, or the like.

When content is reproduced, due to a usage pattern, a central region ofthe stick member 1610-4 a may be gripped by a user's hand. The user'shand may not come into contact with both ends of the stick member 1610-4a and the additional member 1610-4 b.

In this case, the central region of the stick member 1610-4 a may becomea contact part 1611-4, and the both ends of the stick member 1610-4 aand the additional member 1610-4 b may become a noncontact part 1615-4.

A heat output module 1640 may be disposed in the contact part 1611-4 soas to provide thermal feedback. For example, the heat output module 1640may be disposed in at least a portion of a handle region 1611-4 a of thestick member 1610-4 a and buttons 1611-4 b and 1611-4 c. In addition,waste heat generated in the heat output module 1640 may be dissipatedthrough at least a partial region of the noncontact part 1615-4. Forexample, the waste heat may be dissipated from the additional member1610-4 b or may be dissipated from both ends of the stick member 1610-4a.

Referring to FIG. 15, a casing 1610-5 of a feedback device 1600-5 mayinclude a stick member 1610-5 a.

In FIG. 15, the stick member 1610-5 a is illustrated as an approximatequadrangular type stick, but the stick member 1610-5 a may have variousstick types such as a circular type, a triangular type, a polygonal typeor the like. In addition, the stick member 1610-5 a may include at leastone button.

In an example of FIG. 15, the button may be disposed in the centralregion of an upper surface of the stick member 1610-5 a. When content isreproduced, due to a usage pattern, a user's hand may come into contactwith the stick member 1610-5 a with respect to the button. Accordingly,a contact part 1611-5 may be set with respect to a region of the stickmember 1610-5 a in which the button is disposed. In addition, both endsof the stick member 1610-5 a and/or a rear surface of the stick member1610-5 a may be set as noncontact parts 1615-5 a, 1615-5 b, and 1615-5c. As described above, a heat output module 1640 may be disposed in thecontact part 1611-5. A heat dissipation unit 1670 may be disposed in thenoncontact parts 1615-5 a, 1615-5 b, and 1615-5 c to dissipate wasteheat generated in the heat output module 1640 to the outside.

Referring to FIG. 16, a casing 1610-6 of a feedback device 1600-6 mayinclude a stick member 1610-6 a and a connection member 1610-6 b and1610-6 c.

In an example of FIG. 16, the stick member 1610-6 a may include a stickpart 1610-6 ab having a stick shape and a hemispherical part 1610-6 aahaving a hemispherical shape. In an exemplary embodiment, a certainbutton may be provided in the stick part 1610-6 ab and/or thehemispherical part 1610-6 aa.

The connection member 1610-6 b and 1610-6 c may bring a user's body intoclose contact with the stick member 1610-6 a. The connection member1610-6 b and 1610-6 c may include a first connection member 1610-6 b anda second connection member 1610-6 c. For example, the first connectionmember 1610-6 b may be made of a stretchable material or may beconfigured such that a length of the first connection member 1610-6 b isadjusted. In addition, the second connection member 1610-6 c may includea sensing module 1630 such as a motion sensor, an acceleration sensor, agyro sensor, or the like.

When content is reproduced, due to a usage pattern, a user's hand maycontact into contact with the stick part 1610-6 ab and the hemisphericalpart 1610-6 aa. In addition, a user's hand may come into contact withinner surfaces of the first connection member 1610-6 b and the secondconnection member 1610-c, i.e., surfaces of the first connection member1610-6 b and the second connection member 1610-c, which face the stickmember 1610-6 a. Therefore, the stick part 1610-6 ab, the hemisphericalpart 1610-6 aa, and the inner surfaces of the first connection member1610-6 b and the second connection member 1610-c may become a contactpart 1611. However, the user's hand may not come into contact with outersurfaces of the first connection member 1610-6 b and the secondconnection member 1610-c, i.e., surfaces of the first connection member1610-6 b and the second connection member 1610-c which do not face thestick member 1610-6 a. Therefore, the outer surfaces of the firstconnection member 1615-6 b and the second connection member 1610-6 c maybecome a noncontact part 1615-6.

In an exemplary embodiment, a heat output module 1640 may be disposed inthe contact part 1611. Waste heat generated in the heat output module1640 may be dissipated through the noncontact part 1615-6. Specifically,a heat transfer part to be described later may be disposed in the firstconnection member 1600-6 b, and a heat dissipation part to be describedlater may be disposed on the outer surface of the second connectionmember 1600-6 c. In this case, waste heat generated in the heat outputmodule 1640 of the contact part 1611 may pass through the firstconnection member 1600-6 b and may be dissipated from the outer surfaceof the second connection member 1600-6 c.

Referring to FIG. 17, a casing 1610-7 of a feedback device 1600-7 mayinclude a pad member. In the feedback device 1600-7, a contact part1611-7 may be a surrounding region of a button of the pad member, and anoncontact part 1615-7 may be a central region or a rear region of thepad member.

Referring to FIG. 18, a casing 1610-8 of a feedback device 1600-8 mayinclude a wheel member and a fixing member for fixing the wheel member.In the feedback device 1600-8, a contact part 1611-8 may be at least apartial region of the outer surface of the wheel member, and anoncontact part 1615-8 may be at least a partial region of the fixingmember.

Referring to FIG. 19, a casing 1610-9 of a feedback device 1600-9 mayinclude a gun member. In the feedback device 1600-9, a contact part1611-9 may be a trigger and/or grip region of the gun member, and anoncontact part 1615-9 may be a barrel region and/or a surroundingregion of a gun muzzle.

In descriptions provided with reference to FIGS. 17 to 19, a heat outputmodule 1640 may be disposed in the contact parts 1611-7, 1611-8, and1611-9. Waste heat generated in the heat output module 1640 may bedissipated through the noncontact parts 1615-7, 1615-8, and 1615-9

In (a) and (b) of FIG. 20, a casing 1610-10 of a feedback device 1600-10may include a stick member 1610-10 a. In this case, the casing 1610-10may further include other members in addition to the stick member1610-10 a. For example, in (a), the casing 1610-10 may further include aring member, and in (b), the casing 1610-10 may further include a halfring member. Of course, the casing 1610-10 may include only the stickmember 1610-10 a.

In an exemplary embodiment, the stick member 1610-10 a may have a recess1610-10 b in which at least a portion of the stick member 1610-10 a isrecessed. For example, in (a) and (b) of FIG. 20, the recess 1610-10 bmay be formed in a lower end of the stick member 1610-10 a.

When content is reproduced, a user's hand may come into contact with anouter surface of the stick member 1610-10 a, and the user's hand may notreach the recess 1610-10 b of the stick member 1610-10 a. Therefore,even when waste heat is dissipated from the recess 1610-10 b, the wasteheat may not affect the user. Thus, the outer surface of the stickmember 1610-10 a may become a contact part, and the recess 1610-10 b maybecome a noncontact part.

A heat output module 1640 may be disposed in the contact part. Wasteheat generated in the heat output module 1640 may be dissipated throughthe noncontact part. In one example, a heat dissipation part to bedescribed later may be disposed in the recess 1610-10 b, and the wasteheat may be dissipated from the recess 1610-10 b through the heatdissipation part.

In an exemplary embodiment, due to the recess 1610-10 b, the feedbackdevice 1600-10 may be easily mounted on an external device. For example,when the external device is a charger, the charger may come into contactwith the recess 1610-10 b, and the charger may be fixed to the feedbackdevice 1600-10 due to the contact.

Accordingly, a charging port configured to charge a driving power of thefeedback device 1600-10 may be disposed in the recess 1610-10 b. In thiscase, the charger and the charging port of the feedback device 1600-10may be easily docked.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a casing 1610,i.e., a contact part 1611 and/or a noncontact part 1615 may be coupledthrough a plurality of members. Specifically, various components such asa communication module 1620 and various sensing modules 1630 may beincluded in the contact part 1611 and the noncontact part 1615. Inaddition, a heat output module 1640 and/or a heat transfer part to bedescribed later may be disposed in the contact part 1611, and the heattransfer part and/or a heat dissipation part to be described later maybe disposed in the noncontact part 1615.

When the contact part 1611 and/or the noncontact part 1615 are coupledthrough one member, the heat transfer part and/or the heat dissipationpart may be difficult to dispose in the contact part 1611 and/or thenoncontact part 1615.

However, in the present invention, since the contact part 1611 and/orthe noncontact part 1615 are coupled through the plurality of members,the heat transfer part and/or the heat dissipation part may be easilydisposed in the contact part 1611 and/or the noncontact part 1615.

For example, as in an example of FIG. 12, when the noncontact part 1615is a ring member 1610-2 b, the ring member 1610-2 b may be coupledthrough an upper member and a lower member, may be coupled through aleft member and a right member, or may be coupled through an innermember and an outer member. In addition, the contact part 1611 and thenoncontact part 1615 may be coupled through members disposed at variouspositions and having various shapes.

Furthermore, in an exemplary embodiment, when the noncontact part 1615is coupled through a plurality of members and the heat transfer partand/or the heat dissipation part are disposed in a first member of theplurality of members, waste heat may be dissipated from the firstmember.

In addition, in the present invention, only when all of the plurality ofmembers are coupled is thermal feedback output in the feedback device1610, and when the plurality of members are not coupled, the feedbackdevice 1610 is not normally operated. Thus, thermal feedback may not beoutput. That is, when the plurality of members are not coupled, thewaste heat is not generated, and only when the plurality of members arecoupled may the waste heat be dissipated through the noncontact part1615.

3.3. Heat Transfer Part

As described above, since a heat output module is disposed in a contactpart 1611 of a casing 1610, waste heat is generated in the contact part1611, and waste heat may be dissipated through a certain region (i.e., awaste heat dissipation region) of a noncontact part 1615. When thecontact part 1611 and the waste heat dissipation region of thenoncontact part 1615 are in physical contact with each other, the wasteheat may be directly transferred from the contact part 1611 to the wasteheat dissipation region. However, when the contact part 1611 and thewaste heat dissipation region of the noncontact part 1615 are physicallyspaced apart from each other, the waste heat dissipation region may notdirectly receive waste heat from the contact part 1611 and may receivethe waste heat through the heat transfer part. Hereinafter, variousconfigurations of the heat transfer part will be described.

3.3.1. Heat Transfer Part Disposed on Wall of Casing

FIG. 21 is a view illustrating a heat transfer part disposed on a wallof a casing according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention. For convenience of description, a member disposed on the wallof the casing to transfer heat will be referred to as a heat transferstructure. Referring to FIG. 21, (a) is a cross-sectional viewillustrating a casing 1610 in which a heat output module 1640 and a heattransfer structure 1710 are disposed. (b) to (d) are views illustratingvarious examples of the heat transfer structure 1710.

For convenience of description, an arrangement of the heat output module1640 and the heat transfer structure 1710 when the casing 1610 is acylindrical member will be described with reference to FIG. 21. However,the present invention is not limited thereto, and content described withreference to FIG. 21 may be applied as it is even when the casing 1610includes other members such as a stick member. In addition, the heatoutput module 1640 and the heat transfer structure 1710 are illustratedin FIG. 21 as being formed in a portion of the casing 1610, but thepresent invention is not limited thereto. The heat output module 1640and the heat transfer structure 1710 may be formed on the entirety ofthe casing 1610.

In (a), a hole or a groove may be formed in a wall of the casing 1610,and the heat output module 1640 may be disposed in the hole or thegroove. Waste heat may be generated in the heat output module 1640. Thewaste heat may be transferred to a cavity 1810 which is a noncontactpart 1615 with which a user's body does not come into contact, and thusmay be dissipated from the cavity 1810. However, when a thickness of theheat output module 1640 is not greater than a thickness of the wall ofthe casing 1610, the waste heat generated in the heat output module 1640may not be transferred to the cavity 1810, and may be transferred to anouter surface of the casing 1610 rather than the cavity 1810. In thiscase, the waste heat may be transferred to a user and may reduce athermal experience of the user.

In order to solve the above problems, the heat transfer structure 1710is additionally provided in the present invention.

In an exemplary embodiment, the heat transfer structure 1710 is embeddedin the wall of the casing 1610 and has one end in surface contact withthe heat output module 1640 and the other end exposed toward the cavity1810. Thus, the heat transfer structure 1710 functions to allow heat tobe smoothly transferred between the heat output module 1640 and thecavity 1810. That is, the heat transfer structure 1710 functions as aheat transfer part.

Although the casing 1610 may be made of a material having low heatconductivity or may be thick, due to the heat transfer structure 1710,waste heat generated in an inner surface of the heat output module 1640may be smoothly transferred to the cavity 1810 through the heat transferstructure 1710 and dissipated. Accordingly, heat may be more effectivelyabsorbed in an outer surface of the heat output module 1640. Thus, sincethe heat transfer structure 1710 is provided to transfer heat betweenthe heat output module 1640 and the cavity 1810, it is preferable thatthe heat transfer structure 1710 be made of a material having highthermal conductivity, for example, a metal.

In an exemplary embodiment, the heat transfer structure 1710 may beformed in the form of a fin which is widely commercialized andproductized as a component used for a smooth heat transfer. In addition,the heat transfer structure 1710 may have various implementations.

For example, referring to (b) to (d), the heat transfer structure 1710may be implemented in a fin shape as shown in (b).

In addition, the heat transfer structure 1710 may be implemented as anintegrated lump shape positioned within the wall of the casing 1610 asshown in (c).

In addition, the heat transfer structure 1710 may be formed to protrudefrom the wall of the casing 1610 as shown in (d). In this case, thewaste heat generated in the heat output module 1640 may be directlytransferred to the cavity 1810 by the heat transfer structure 1710without passing through the casing 1610. In addition, when a separateheat dissipation unit (for example, a heat dissipation fan) is disposedon a lower surface of the casing 1610 rather than the cavity 1810, thewaste heat generated in the heat output module 1640 may pass through theheat transfer structure 1710 and may be directly transferred to the heatdissipation unit.

3.3.2. Heat Transfer Part Disposed in Casing

FIG. 22 is a view illustrating a heat transfer part disposed in a casingaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Forconvenience of description, hereinafter, a member which is disposedoutside or inside a casing rather than a wall of the casing to transferheat will be referred to as a heat transfer member.

Referring to FIG. 22, (a) is an example in which a heat transfer memberis disposed in a feedback device 1600-2. (b) is an example in which aheat transfer member is disposed in a feedback device 1600-3.

For convenience of description, an arrangement of a heat output module1640 and a heat transfer member 1720 in the feedback devices 1600-2 and1600-3 including a stick member and a ring member will be described withreference to FIGS. 22 and 23. However, the present invention is notlimited thereto, and content described with reference to FIGS. 22 and 23may be applied as it is even when a casing 1610 includes other memberssuch as a cylindrical member. In addition, a heat output module 1640 isillustrated in FIGS. 22 and 23 as being formed in a portion of a casing1610-2 a or 1610-3 a, but the present invention is not limited thereto.The heat output module 1640 may be formed on the entirety of the casing1610-2 a or the casing 1610-3 a.

In (a) and (b), stick members 1610-2 a and 1610-3 a may become contactparts 1611, and ring members 1610-2 b and 1610-3 b may become noncontactparts 1615. Therefore, the heat output module 1640 may be disposed on aninner or outer surface of at least a portion of the stick member 1610-2a or 1610-3 a in order to output thermal feedback from the contact part1611. However, waste heat should be dissipated from the noncontact part1615, but since the heat output module 1640 generating the waste heat isdisposed in the contact part 1611, the waste heat may not be dissipatedfrom the noncontact part 1615, but rather the waste heat may bedissipated from the contact part 1611. Therefore, the waste heat shouldbe transferred from the contact part 1611 to the noncontact part 1615.To this end, the heat transfer member 1720 may be disposed in at least apartial region of the contact part 1611.

The heat transfer member 1720 may refer to a member which transfers heattransferred from a first region of the heat transfer member 1720 to asecond region of the heat transfer member 1720. An example of the heattransfer member 1720 is a heat pipe. The heat pipe is a pipe from whicha gas is discharged and may contain a volatile material therein. Whenheat is present in a first stage of the heat pipe, the volatile materialmay transfer heat energy to a second stage of the heat pipe. Copper,stainless steel, ceramic, tungsten, or the like may be used as amaterial of a main body of the heat pipe, and a porous fiber or the likemay be used as a material of an inner wall of the heat pipe. Also,methanol, acetone, water, mercury, or the like may be used as thevolatile material in the heat pipe.

In an exemplary embodiment, the heat transfer member 1720 may bedisposed between the heat output module 1640 of the contact part 1611and the noncontact part 1615 and may set a heat transfer path betweenthe heat output module 1640 and the noncontact part 1615. Accordingly,the waste heat generated in the heat output module 1640 may betransferred to the noncontact part 1615 along the heat transfer path. Asthe waste heat is moved to the noncontact part 1615, the waste heat maynot be dissipated from the contact part 1611.

In addition, the heat transfer member 1720 may be disposed inside oroutside the stick member 1610-2 a or 1610-3 a according to a design.

In addition, the heat transfer member 1720 may not be connected to othercomponents such as a feedback device, and specifically, a battery, asensor, a substrate, and a processor inside the stick member 1610-2 a or1610-3 a, except for the heat output module 1640. Accordingly, the othercomponents may be insulated from the waste heat and not thermallydegraded by the waste heat.

FIG. 23 is a view illustrating a heat transfer part disposed in a casingaccording to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 23, (a) and (b) illustrates examples in which a heattransfer member 1720 is disposed on stick members 1610-2 a and 1610-3 awhich are a contact part 1611, and a heat transfer member 1720 a isadditionally disposed on ring members 1610-2 b and 1610-3 b which are anoncontact part 1615.

As described above with reference to FIG. 22, a heat transfer path fromthe contact part 1611 to the noncontact part 1615 may be formed by theheat transfer member 1720, and waste heat may be dissipated from thenoncontact part 1615 through the heat transfer path. Since the heattransfer member 1720 transfers the waste heat only to one region of thenoncontact part 1615, the waste heat is dissipated only from one region.Thus, a dissipation effect of the waste heat may be reduced. In order tosolve such a problem, the heat transfer member 1720 a may beadditionally disposed in the noncontact part 1611 other than the contactpart 1615. The heat transfer member 1720 a may be thermally connected tothe heat transfer member 1720. The heat transfer member 1720 a mayreceive waste heat from the heat transfer member 1720 and may dispersethe waste heat in at least one region of the noncontact part 1615. Thatis, the heat transfer member 1720 a expands the heat transfer pathformed by the heat transfer member 1720 to at least one region of thenoncontact part 1615 to disperse the waste heat, thereby increasing aregion through which the waste heat is dissipated. An area through whichthe waste heat is dissipated may be increased, thereby increasing a heatdissipation efficiency of the waste heat.

In addition, the heat transfer member 1720 a may also be disposed insideor outside the ring member 1610-2 b or 1610-3 b according to a design,like the heat transfer member 1720.

In addition, the heat transfer member 1720 a may not be connected toother components of the feedback device 1600-2 or 1600-3, specifically,a battery, a sensor, a substrate, and a processor inside the ring member1610-2 b or 1610-3 b. Accordingly, the other components may be insulatedfrom the waste heat and not be thermally degraded by the waste heat.

3.4. Heat Dissipation Part

As described above, waste heat generated in a heat output module 1640may be dissipated from a noncontact part 1615 of a casing 1610.

A heat dissipation part may be configured to emit the waste heat and maybe formed in the noncontact part 1615. For example, the heat dissipationpart may be disposed inside or outside the noncontact part 1615 in theform of a heat dissipation member. In addition, the heat dissipationpart may not be a separate element from the noncontact part 1615 but maybe a portion of the noncontact part 1615.

Hereinafter, various configurations of the heat dissipation part will bedescribed. For convenience of description, various configurations of theheat dissipation part will be described with reference to the separatedrawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The heatdissipation part may be implemented as a combination of variousconfigurations to be described below.

3.4.1. Heat Dissipation Part: Heat Dissipation Sheet

FIGS. 24 to 26 are views illustrating examples in which a heatdissipation sheet according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention is applied.

Referring to FIG. 24, (a) illustrates an example in which a heatdissipation sheet 1730 is provided in a feedback device 1600-2. (b)illustrates an example in which a heat dissipation sheet 1730 isdisposed in a feedback device 1600-3.

For convenience of description, an arrangement of a heat output module1640, a heat transfer member 1720, and a heat dissipation sheet 1730 inthe feedback devices 1600-2 and 1600-3 including a stick member and aring member will be described with reference to FIGS. 24 to 26. However,the present invention is not limited thereto, and content described withreference to FIGS. 24 to 26 may be applied as it is even when a casing1610 includes other members such as a cylindrical member or the like. Inaddition, the heat transfer member 1720 is illustrated in FIGS. 24 to 26as being included in the feedback devices 1600-2 and 1600-3, but thepresent invention is not limited thereto. The heat transfer member 1720may not be included in the feedback devices 1600-2 and 1600-3.

In (a) and (b), stick members 1610-2 a and 1610-3 a may be set ascontact parts 1611, and ring members 1610-2 b and 1610-3 b may be set asnoncontact parts 1615.

In addition, a heat transfer part may be formed from the contact part1611 in which a heat output module 1640 is disposed to the noncontactpart 1615 so that waste heat may be transferred from the heat outputmodule 1640 to the noncontact part 1615.

However, the waste heat is transferred only to a portion, which isconnected to the heat output module 1640, or the heat transfer partamong an entire region of the noncontact part 1615. When the noncontactpart 1615 has low heat conductivity, the waste heat may be dissipatedonly through one region of the noncontact part 1615. Thus, a dissipationeffect of the waste heat may be lowered. In addition, due to a materialproperty of the noncontact part 1615, when heat dissipation performanceis low, a dissipation effect of the waste heat may be low.

In the present invention, the heat dissipation sheet 1730 may bedisposed inside or outside the noncontact part 1615 in order to improvethe dissipation effect of the waste heat. Herein, the heat dissipationsheet 1730 may be a kind of a heat dissipation member having a heatdissipation function of dissipating heat to the outside and may mean aheat dissipation member formed in a sheet shape. For example, the heatdissipation sheet 1730 may have a film shape (for example, a polyimide(PI) film), a thin film shape, a plate shape, or the like. In addition,the heat dissipation sheet 1730 may be composed of a thin plate made ofa metal such as copper, or aluminum having high heat transfercoefficient, may be made of other metals or a non-metal material or maybe made of a metal net or a metal mesh shape as needed. In an example,the heat dissipation sheet 1730 may be referred to as a heat dissipationplate.

In addition, the heat dissipation sheet 1730 may disperse waste heattransferred to at least one region of the heat dissipation sheet 1730 ina region wider than the at least one region of the heat dissipationsheet 1730 (for example, an entire region of the heat dissipation sheet1730) and then may dissipate the dispersed waste heat through an entireregion of the heat dissipation sheet 1730.

In an exemplary embodiment, the heat dissipation sheet 1730 may bedisposed in an inner or outer entire region of the noncontact part 1615such that the waste heat is dissipated from a wide region of thenoncontact part 1615. Accordingly, when the waste heat is transferred toone region of the heat dissipation sheet 1730, the heat dissipationsheet 1730 may disperse the waste heat in an entire region of the heatdissipation sheet 1730 and may dissipate the waste heat. The heatdissipation sheet 1730 may be disposed in the entire region of thenoncontact part 1615, and thus, the waste heat may be dissipated from anentire region of the noncontact part 1615. In summary, the waste heatmay be dispersed in the entire region of the noncontact part 1615 by theheat dissipation sheet 1730, and the dispersed heat may be dissipatedthrough the heat dissipation sheet 1730 and the noncontact part 1615.Accordingly, even when heat dissipation performance of the noncontactpart 1615 is low, a waste heat dissipation effect of the noncontact part1615 may be improved by the heat dissipation sheet 1730.

In addition, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, theheat dissipation sheet 1730 may be disposed in a recess 1610-10 bdescribed with reference to FIG. 20. In this case, the heat dissipationsheet 1730 disposed in the recess 1610-10 b may receive waste heat fromthe heat output module 1640 or may receive waste heat from the heattransfer member 1720 when the heat transfer member 1720 is connectedbetween the heat output module 1640 and the heat dissipation sheet 1730.The heat dissipation sheet 1730 may dissipate the received waste heatthrough the recess 1610-10 b. Accordingly, a waste heat dissipationeffect in the recess 1610-10 b may be improved.

FIGS. 25 and 26 are views illustrating examples in which a heatdissipation sheet 1730 according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention is applied to a partial region of a noncontact part1615.

While an example in which the heat dissipation sheet 1730 is disposed onthe entirety of the noncontact part 1615 has been described withreference to FIG. 24, as illustrated in FIGS. 25 and 26, the heatdissipation sheet 1730 may be disposed in a partial region of thenoncontact part 1615, and waste heat may be dissipated from the partialregion. That is, a dissipation region of waste heat may be determinedaccording to an arrangement region and an arrangement position of theheat dissipation sheet 1730.

Referring to FIG. 25, in (a), a heat dissipation sheet 1730 a may bedisposed on an inner side of a ring member 1610-2 b which is anoncontact part 1615, i.e., disposed in a surrounding region of a cavityof the ring members 1610-2 b.

In addition, in (b), the heat dissipation sheet 1730 a may be disposedon an inner side of a ring member 1610-3 b which is a noncontact part1615.

Since the heat dissipation sheet 1730 a is disposed on the inner sidesof the ring members 1610-2 b and 1610-3 b, waste heat generated in aheat output module 1640 formed in a contact part 1611 is transferred tothe inner sides of the ring members 1610-2 b and 1610-3 b, in which theheat dissipation sheets 1730 a are disposed. Thus, the waste heat isdissipated from the inner sides of the ring members 1610-2 b and 1610-3b, and the waste heat is not dissipated from outer sides of the ringmembers 1610-2 b and 1610-3 b.

In some cases, when the waste heat is dissipated from the outer sides ofthe ring members 1610-2 b and 1610-3 b, other users rather than thecurrent user may come into contact with the outer sides of the ringmembers 1610-2 b and 1610-3 b. Thus, other users may feel the wasteheat. On the contrary, when the waste heat is dissipated from the innersides of the ring members 1610-2 b and 1610-3 b, although other usersmay come into contact with the outer sides of the ring members 1610-2 band 1610-3 b, the other users do not feel the waste heat. Accordingly,when the heat dissipation sheet 1730 a is disposed on the inner sides ofthe ring members 1610-2 b and 1610-3 b, the influence of the waste heaton the other users may be minimized.

On the contrary, referring to FIG. 26, in (a), a heat dissipation sheet1730 b may be disposed on an outer side of a ring member 1610-2 b whichis a noncontact part 1615. In addition, in (b), the heat dissipationsheet 1730 b may be disposed an outer side of a ring member 1610-3 bwhich is a noncontact part 1615.

Since the heat dissipation sheet 1730 b is disposed on the outer sidesof the ring members 1610-2 b and 1610-3 b, waste heat generated in aheat output module 1640 formed in a contact part 1611 is transferred tothe outer sides of the ring members 1610-2 b and 1610-3 b in which theheat dissipation sheet 1730 a is disposed. Thus, the waste heat isdissipated from the outer sides of the ring members 1610-2 b and 1610-3b, and the waste heat is not dissipated from inner sides of the ringmembers 1610-2 b and 1610-3 b.

According to a design of a feedback device, when the waste heat istransferred to the inner side of the ring members 1610-2 b and 1610-3 b,in which the heat dissipation sheet 1730 b is disposed, the waste heatmay be transferred to a user. On the contrary, when the waste heat isdissipated from the outer sides of the ring members 1610-2 b and 1610-3b, the waste heat may not be transferred to the user. For example, sincethe contact part 1611 is formed on the inner side of the ring member1610-3 b that is the noncontact part 1615 in a feedback device 1600-2,when the waste heat is dissipated from the outer side of the ring member1610-3 b, the waste heat may not be transferred to the user.

In addition, since an area of the outer sides of the ring members 1610-2b and 1610-3 b are greater than that of the inner sides of the ringmembers 1610-2 b and 1610-3 b, when the waste heat is dissipated fromthe outer sides of the ring members 1610-2 b and 1610-3 b rather thanthe inner sides of the ring members 1610-2 b and 1610-3 b, the wasteheat may be dissipated from a wider area.

Accordingly, when the heat dissipation sheet 1730 b is disposed on theouter sides of the ring members 1610-2 b and 1610-3 b, the influence ofthe waste heat on the user may be minimized, and a waste heatdissipation effect of the noncontact part 1615 may be improved.

3.4.2. Heat Dissipation Part: Noncontact Part Including Material withHigh Heat Dissipation Performance

FIG. 27 is a view illustrating an example of a noncontact part includinga material with high heat dissipation performance according to anexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 27, as described above, a heat dissipation part may beformed as a portion of a noncontact part 1615. In an example of FIG. 27,the heat dissipation part may be a member 1740 having high heatdissipation performance and the member 1740 having high heat dissipationperformance may be formed as the noncontact part 1615, i.e., a portionof a casing 1610.

Herein, the member 1740 having the high heat dissipation performance maybe made of at least one selected from metal materials such as aluminum,gold, copper, lead, stainless steel, SS316, silver, and steel, inorganicmaterials such as beryllium oxide, aluminum nitride, silicon carbide,and alumina, and a non-conductive material such as diamond.

In addition, it can be understood that as a dissipation amount per unittime of the waste heat is increased in a certain area, the heatdissipation performance is increased.

As described above, the waste heat is dissipated from at least a portionof the noncontact part 1615. Accordingly, a dissipation time and adissipation amount of the waste heat may be changed according to heatdissipation performance of at least the portion of the noncontact part1615, from which the waste heat is dissipated.

In an exemplary embodiment, as shown in (a), the member 1740 having thehigh heat dissipation performance may be formed on the entirety of thenoncontact part 1615. In this case, the entirety of the noncontact part1615 may have high dissipation performance.

In another exemplary embodiment, as shown in (b), the member 1740 havingthe high heat dissipation performance may be formed at a portion of thenoncontact part 1615. That is, the noncontact part 1615 may be made oftwo or more materials, and the member 1740 having the high heatdissipation performance may be made of a material different from otherregions of the noncontact part 1615. In this case, among members of thenoncontact part 1615, the member 1740 having the high heat dissipationperformance may have higher heat dissipation performance than othermembers of the noncontact part 1615. Accordingly, waste heat may beconcentrically dissipated from the member 1740 having the high heatdissipation performance.

In addition, a heat transfer member may be thermally connected to themember 1740 having the high heat dissipation performance such that thewaste heat is transferred to the member 1740 having the high heatdissipation performance. The member 1740 having the high heatdissipation performance may receive the waste heat from the heattransfer member. Therefore, the waste heat may be dissipated at highheat dissipation performance from the member 1740 having the high heatdissipation performance.

3.4.3. Heat Dissipation Part: Noncontact Part Including Patterns

FIG. 28 is a view illustrating an example in which patterns according toan exemplary embodiment of the present invention are applied.

Referring to FIG. 28, (a) illustrates an example in which patterns 1750are disposed in a feedback device 1600-2, and (b) illustrates an examplein which patterns 1750 are disposed in the feedback device 1600-3.

For convenience of description, an arrangement of the patterns 1750 inthe feedback devices 1600-2 and 1600-3 including a stick member and aring member will be described with reference to FIG. 28. However, thepresent invention is not limited thereto, and content described withreference to FIG. 28 may be applied as it is even when a casing 1610includes other members such as a cylindrical member.

In (a) and (b), ring members 1610-2 b and 1610-3 b may be set asnoncontact parts 1615.

In the present invention, the patterns 1750 may be formed to pass froman inner surface to an outer surface of the noncontact part 1615 inorder to expand a dissipation area of the waste heat.

The patterns 1750 may include engraved patterns and/or embossed patternsin the noncontact part 1615 of the casing 1610. In addition, thepatterns 1750 may be formed in various shapes such as a circle, apolygon, and a linear shape, and the number of the patterns 1750 may beat least one. In addition, the pattern 1750 may be formed on the innerside and/or the outer side of the noncontact part 1615.

As described above with reference to FIG. 27, since a heat dissipationpart may be formed as a portion of the noncontact part 1615, thepatterns 1750, which are a kind of the heat dissipation part, may beformed as the noncontact part 1615, i.e., a portion of the casing 1610.

In addition, as described above, the noncontact part 1615 may dissipatethe waste heat. Since the waste heat is dissipated from at least oneregion of the noncontact part 1615, waste heat dissipation performancemay be changed according to an area of the at least one region of thenoncontact part 1615. In some cases, a position of the at least oneregion of the noncontact part 1615 may be fixed, and thus, the area ofthe at least one region may also be fixed. However, when the patterns1750 pass through the at least one region, a surface area of the atleast one region may be increased due to the patterns 1750. Accordingly,the waste heat may be dissipated from the patterns 1750, and a wasteheat dissipation area of the noncontact part 1615 may be increased bythe patterns 1750. As the waste heat dissipation area is increased,waste heat dissipation performance in the noncontact part 1615 may beimproved.

Furthermore, a heat transfer member 1720 connected to a heat outputmodule 1640 may be connected to the patterns 1750 such that the wasteheat is dissipated from the patterns 1750. Of course, the heat transfermember 1720 may not be connected to the patterns 1750, and the wasteheat may be transferred from the heat output module 1640.

In addition, since the waste heat may be dissipated from the patterns1750, a heat dissipation sheet 1730 may be disposed inside and/oroutside the patterns 1750 in order to improve waste heat dissipationperformance of the patterns. The patterns may be composed of the member1740 having the high heat dissipation performance.

Furthermore, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, asensing module 1630 may be disposed in the noncontact part 1615. Sincethe patterns 1750 include engraved patterns and/or embossed patterns,the sensing module 1630 may be accurately disposed at a certain positionbased on a position of the patterns 1750. In addition, in some cases,the sensing module 1630 may be fixed to the engraved patterns and/or theembossed patterns of the patterns 1750. When the sensing module 1630 isheat-resistant, the sensing module 1630 may be designed such that thewaste heat is dissipated from a pattern to which the sensing module 1630is fixed. Otherwise, the sensing module 1630 may be designed such thatthe waste heat is not dissipated from the pattern to which the sensingmodule 1630 is fixed.

3.4.4. Heat Dissipation Part: Noncontact Part Including Hollow Portion

FIG. 29 is a view illustrating an example in which hollow portionaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention areapplied.

Referring to FIG. 29, (a) illustrates an example in which hollow portion1760 are formed in a feedback device 1600-2, and (b) illustrates anexample in which hollow portion 1760 are formed in the feedback device1600-3.

For convenience of description, an arrangement of the hollow portion1760 in the feedback devices 1600-2 and 1600-3 including a stick memberand a ring member will be described with reference to FIG. 29. However,the present invention is not limited thereto, and content described withreference to FIG. 29 may be applied as it is even when a casing 1610includes other members such as a cylindrical member.

In (a) and (b), ring members 1610-2 b and 1610-3 b may be set asnoncontact parts 1615.

In the present invention, the hollow portion 1760 may be formed to passfrom an inner surface to an outer surface of the noncontact part 1615 inorder to expand a dissipation area of the waste heat.

The hollow portion 1760 may pass from an inner side to an outer side ofthe noncontact part 1625 of the casing 1610 and may be formed in variousshapes such as a circular, a polygonal, or linear shape. In addition,the number of the hollow portion 1760 may be at least one.

As described above with reference to FIG. 27, since a heat dissipationpart may be formed as a portion of the noncontact part 1615, the hollowportion 1760, which are a kind of the heat dissipation part, may beformed as the noncontact part 1615, i.e., a portion of the casing 1610.

In addition, as described above, since the waste heat is dissipated fromthe noncontact part 1615 and is dissipated from at least one region ofthe noncontact part 1615, the waste heat dissipation performance may bechanged according to an area of the at least one region of thenoncontact part 1615. When the hollow portion 1760 passes through the atleast one region of the noncontact part 1615, a surface area of the atleast one region may be increased due to the hollow portion 1760. Thewaste heat may be dissipated from the hollow portion 1760 or surroundingregion of the hollow portion 1760, and a waste heat dissipation area ofthe noncontact part 1615 may be increased due to the hollow portion1760. As the waste heat dissipation area is increased, the waste heatdissipation performance in the noncontact part 1615 may be improved.

Furthermore, a heat transfer member 1720 connected to a heat outputmodule 1640 may be connected to the hollow portion 1760 such that thewaste heat is dissipated from the hollow portion 1760.

In addition, when the waste heat is emitted from the surrounding regionof the hollow portion 1760, the heat transfer member 1720 connected tothe heat output module 1640 may be connected to the surrounding regionof the hollow portion 1760. Of course, the heat transfer member 1720 maynot be connected to the hollow portion 1760 or the surrounding region ofthe hollow portion 1760, and the waste heat may be transferred from theheat output module 1640.

3.4.5. Heat Dissipation Part: Heat Dissipation Fins

FIG. 30 is a view illustrating an example in which heat dissipation finsare applied to a noncontact part according to an exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention.

Referring to FIG. 30, an arrangement of heat dissipation fins 1770 whena casing 1610-1 of a feedback device 1600-1 is a cylindrical member willbe described with reference to (a), and an arrangement of the heatdissipation fins 1770 when a noncontact part 1615 of a casing 1600-2 ofa feedback device 1600-2 is a ring member 1610-2 b will be describedwith reference to (b). However, the present invention is not limited tothis, and content described with reference to FIG. 30 may be applied asit is even when a casing 1610 includes other members rather than thecylindrical member and the ring member.

Herein, the heat dissipation fins 1770 may be a kind of a heatdissipation part and may be referred to as a cooling fin in some cases.

In (a), a heat output module 1640 may be formed on an inner surface ofthe casing 1610-1, and waste heat may be generated in the heat outputmodule 1640. In addition, a cavity 1810 may be formed in the casing1610-1, and the waste heat may be dissipated to the outside through thecavity 1810. That is, the cavity 1810 may become a noncontact part 1615.

In addition, the heat dissipation fins 1770 may be provided on the innersurface of the casing 1610-1. Specifically, the waste heat may begenerated in the heat output module 1640, and the waste heat may betransferred to the heat dissipation fins 1770. The waste heattransferred to the heat dissipation fins 1770 is discarded in air of thecavity 1810 from surfaces of the heat dissipation fins 1770 through aconvective heat transfer. Since the heat dissipation fins 1770 have awide heat exchange area due to a shape thereof, convective heatdissipation efficiency, that is, heat dissipation efficiency of thewaste heat, may be increased.

In addition, a heat-conductive layer 1641 a and 1641 b may beadditionally provided on the inner surface of the casing 1610-1. Theheat-conductive layer 1641 a may be disposed between a heat outputmodule 1640 and the casing 1610-1 to expand an effect of an exothermicor endothermic operation performed by the heat output module 1640 to awider area of the casing 1641 a. Furthermore, the heat-conductive layer1641 b may be disposed between the heat output module 1640 and the heatdissipation fins 1770 to disperse and transfer the waste heat generatedin the heat output module 1640 to a wider area of the heat dissipationfins 1770. Accordingly, since the waste heat is transferred to the widerarea of the heat dissipation fins 1770, heat dissipation efficiency ofthe waste heat in the heat dissipation fins 1770 may be improved.

In (b), a heat output module 1640 may be formed on an inner surface of aring member 1610-2 b, and waste heat may be generated in the heat outputmodule 1640. In addition, a cavity 1810 may be formed in the ring member1610-2 b, and the waste heat may be dissipated to the outside throughthe cavity 1810. That is, the cavity 1810 may become a noncontact part1615.

In addition, the heat dissipation fins 1770 may be provided in the ringmember 1610-2 b. As shown in (b), a heat transfer member 1720 may bedisposed between the heat dissipation fins 1770 and the ring member1610-2 b. In this case, the heat dissipation fins 1770 receives thewaste heat from the heat transfer member 1720 and may dissipate thewaste heat. As described above, since the heat dissipation fins 1770have the wide heat exchange area due to the shape thereof, the heatdissipation fins 1770 may be included in the ring member 1610-2 b. Thus,heat dissipation efficiency of the waste heat may be improved due to theheat dissipation fins 1770.

In addition, the heat transfer member 1720 is illustrated in (b) asbeing disposed along an entire circumference of the heat dissipationfins 1770. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, andthe heat transfer member 1720 may be disposed at a portion of thecircumference of the heat dissipation fins 1770.

Furthermore, in another example, the heat transfer member 1720 may notexist between the heat dissipation fins 1770 and the ring member 1610-2b, and the heat dissipation fins 1770 may receive the waste heat fromthe ring member 1610-2 b.

In addition, while the heat dissipation fins 1770 are illustrated asbeing fitted in the ring member 1610-2 b, the present invention is notlimited thereto, and the heat dissipation fins 1770 may be disposed inany shape in the ring member 1610-2 b. For example, the heat dissipationfins 1770 may be formed in a shape surrounding the cavity 1810.

The heat dissipation fins 1770 may be disposed on an outer side of thering member 1610-2 b. In addition, the heat dissipation fins 1770 mayprotrude from the ring member 1610-2 b to be visible to a user or may bedisposed inside the ring member 1610-2 b so as to not visible to theuser.

3.4.6. Heat Dissipation Part: Heat Dissipation Fan

FIGS. 31 and 32 are views illustrating examples in which a heatdissipation fan 1780 is applied according to an exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention.

An arrangement of the heat dissipation fan 1780 when a casing 1610-1 ofa feedback device 1600-1 is a cylindrical member will be described withreference to FIGS. 31 and 32. However, the present invention is notlimited thereto, and content described with reference to FIG. 31 may beapplied as it is even when the casing 1610 includes another memberrather than a cylindrical member.

Herein, the heat dissipation fan 1780 may be a kind of a heatdissipation part and may be referred to as a cooling fan in some cases.

In FIGS. 31 and 32, the heat dissipation fan 1780 may be provided at oneend of a cavity 1810 to forcibly circulate air through the cavity 1810.Thus, a waste heat release effect of the cavity 1810 may be improved. Inthis case, the heat dissipation fan 1780 may receive driving power froma power module 1680 as described above.

In addition, heat dissipation fins 1770 as described above withreference to FIG. 30 may be additionally provided in the cavity 1810. Inthis case, the waste heat dissipation effect may be further improved.

Specifically, when only the heat dissipation fins 1770 are provided inthe cavity 1810, heat transferred from a heat output module 1640 may bediscarded in air filling the cavity 1810 through the heat dissipationfins 1770, and the air may escape to an outside space (that is, heat isdiscarded in the outside space). Thus, the cavity 1810 may perform awaste heat dissipation function to a certain level. However, when theair in the cavity 1810 cannot smoothly flow to the external space, theheat may not be smoothly discarded. In this case, when the air in thecavity 1810 flows through the heat dissipation fan 1780, the heated airsmoothly escapes and fresh air is filled therein, heat may be activelyabsorbed again. Thus, much more efficient cooling may be performed.

More specifically, since heat transfer efficiency in the heatdissipation fins 1770 is directly related to velocity of air around theheat dissipation fins 1770, the air may flow due to the heat dissipationfan 1780, thereby improving the heat transfer efficiency in the heatdissipation fins 1770 to considerably improve waste heat dissipationperformance.

Referring to FIG. 31, (a) and (b) illustrate examples in which aheat-conductive layer 1641 a and 1641 b and a heat output module 1640are disposed in a casing 1610-1. (C) illustrates an example in which aheat transfer structure 1710 is embedded in a wall of a casing 1610-1.

In (a) to (c), a support 1781 configured to fix and support heatdissipation fins 1770 may be provided on an upper surface or a lowersurface of the casing 1610-1. More specifically, (a) and (c) illustratea case in which the support 1781 is provided on the lower surface of thecasing 1610-1. (b) illustrates a case in which the support 1781 isprovided on the upper surface of the casing 1610-1. In addition, theheat dissipation fan 1780 is illustrated in (a) and (c) as also beingsupported and provided on the support 1781. The heat dissipation fan1780 is illustrated in (b) as being supported and provided on astructure separately connected to the casing 1610-1 rather than thesupport 1781. Of course, the present invention is not limited to theexamples of (a) to (c), and the present invention may be appropriatelymodified.

In some cases, when the heat dissipation fins 1770 are fixedly supportedby the support 1781, a portion of the waste heat emitted from the heatoutput module 1640 may sequentially pass through the heat dissipationfins 1770 and the support 1781 and return to the casing 1610-1. In thiscase, a portion of the waste heat may be transferred to a user who gripsthe casing 1610-1, thereby reducing a thermal experience of the user.

In order to solve such a problem, a feedback device 1600-1 may furtherinclude a heat insulation part 1782 provided at a connection portionbetween the casing 1610-1 and the support 1781. As shown in (a) to (c),since the heat dissipation fins 1770 and the support 1781 are connectedto each other and the support 1781 and the casing 1610-1 are insulatedfrom each other by the heat insulation part 1782, although the wasteheat is transferred from the heat dissipation fins 1770 to the support1781, the waste heat is not transferred to the casing 1610-1 due to theheat insulation part 1782. Therefore, due to the support 1781, the wasteheat may not be transferred to a user.

Referring to FIG. 32, (a) illustrates an example in which aheat-conductive layer 1641 a and 1641 b and a heat output module 1640are disposed in a casing 1610-1. (b) illustrates an example in which aheat transfer structure 1710 is embedded in a wall of a casing 1610-1.

Specifically, in (a), heat dissipation fins 1770 and the heat outputmodule 1640 should be in close contact with each other in order toimprove waste heat dissipation performance. However, when the heatdissipation fins 1770 are assembled in such a manner that the heatdissipation fins 1770 are pushed into the cavity 1810, while the heatdissipation fins 1770 are pushed in a state in which the heatdissipation fins 1770 and the heat output module 1640 are in closecontact with each other, excessive stress may be applied to the heatoutput module 1640 to damage the heat output module 1640.

Furthermore, in (b), the heat dissipation fins 1770 and the casing1610-1 should be in close contact with each other. However, similarly,while the heat dissipation fins 1770 are pushed, excessive stress may beapplied to an inner wall of the casing 1610-1 to damage the inner wallof the casing 1610-1.

In addition, in (a), a distance between the heat dissipation fins 1770and the heat output module 1640 is designed so as to be long, or in (b),when a distance between the heat dissipation fins 1770 and the casing1610-1 is designed so as to be long, waste heat may not be smoothlytransferred to the heat dissipation fins 1770.

In order to solve such problems, in the present invention, as shown in(a) and (b), in the feedback device 1600-1, an inner surface of thecavity 1810 is formed to have a tapered shape in an extending directionof the casing 1610-1, and an outer surface of the heat dissipation fins1770 is formed to have a tapered shape so as to correspond to the innersurface of the cavity 1810.

When the inner surface of the cavity 1810 and the outer surface of theheat dissipation fins 1770 have the tapered shape so as to correspond toeach other, in (a), while the heat dissipation fins 1770 are pushed intothe cavity 1810 in an arrow direction, stress may not be applied to theheat output module 1640. In addition, in (b), stress may not be appliedto the heat output module 1640 and the inner wall of the casing 1610-1.

Furthermore, when the heat dissipation fins 1770 are completely pressedagainst the heat output module 1640, the heat dissipation fins 1770 maynot be pushed further. Accordingly, through the tapered shape as shownin (a) and (b), stress may be not applied to any component during anassembly process, and after assembly completion, components may be inclose contact with each other, thereby concurrently improvingassemblability and a waste heat transfer effect.

Methods according to exemplary embodiments may be implemented in theform of program instructions executable through diverse computing meansand may be recorded in computer readable media. The computer readablemedia may include, independently or in combination, programinstructions, data files, data structures, and so on. Programinstructions recorded in the media may be specially designed andconfigured for embodiments, or may be generally known by those skilledin the computer software art. Computer readable recording media mayinclude magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetictapes, optical media such as CD-ROM and DVD, magneto-optical media suchas floptical disks, and hardware units, such as ROM, RAM, flash memory,and so on, which are intentionally formed to store and perform programinstructions. Program instructions may include high-class language codesexecutable by computers using interpreters, as well as machine languagecodes likely made by compilers. The hardware units may be configured tofunction as one or more software modules for performing operationsaccording to embodiments of the present disclosure, and vice versa.

While exemplary embodiments have been shown and described with referenceto the accompanying drawings thereof, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that various changes and modifications in form anddetails may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scopeof the present invention as defined by the appended claims and theirequivalents. For example, desired results may be achieved even if theexemplary embodiments of the present invention are performed in othersequences different from the descriptions, and/or the elements, such assystem, structure, device, circuit, and so on, are combined or assembledin other ways different from the descriptions, or replaced orsubstituted with other elements or their equivalents. Therefore, otherimplementations, other embodiments, and equivalents of the appendedclaims may be included in the scope of the appended claims.

1. A feedback device providing a thermal experience according to athermal event to a user in accordance with reproduction of multimediacontent including the thermal event, the feedback device comprising: acasing including a contact part that is a region with which the usercomes into contact in a case in which the feedback device is moved whenthe content is reproduced and including a noncontact part that is aregion with which the user does not come into contact although thefeedback device is moved when the content is reproduced; a heat outputmodule including a first substrate and a second substrate havingflexibility, a thermoelectric element disposed between the firstsubstrate and the second substrate and configured to perform athermoelectric operation for the thermal feedback wherein thethermoelectric operation includes an exothermic operation and anendothermic operation, and a contact surface disposed on the secondsubstrate, wherein the heat output module is disposed inside or outsidea curved shape of the contact part due to the flexibility of the firstsubstrate and the second substrate and transfers heat generated by thethermoelectric operation to the user through the second substrate andthe contact surface to output the thermal feedback; a feedbackcontroller configured to control the heat output module; a heatdissipation unit configured to dissipate waste heat from the noncontactpart when the waste heat is generated toward the first substrate as thethermoelectric element performs the endothermic operation such thattemperature of at least a portion of the contact surface is less than acertain temperature, wherein: the waste heat indicates the remainingheat, except for heat for providing the thermal feedback among the heatgenerated in the thermoelectric element; and the heat dissipation unitincludes a heat transfer part configured to form a heat transfer pathfrom the heat output module to the noncontact part such that the wasteheat is transferred from the heat output module to the noncontact part;and a heat dissipation part configured to dissipate the waste heatreceived through the heat transfer path, wherein the waste heat is movedalong the heat transfer path from the contact part to the noncontactpart in which the heat output module is disposed and is dissipated fromthe noncontact part.
 2. The feedback device of claim 1, wherein: theheat transfer part includes a first heat transfer member disposed in thecontact part and a second heat transfer member disposed in thenoncontact part and connected to the first heat transfer member, thefirst heat transfer member transfers the waste heat from the heat outputmodule to the first heat transfer member, and the second heat transfermember receives the waste heat from the first heat transfer member anddisperses the waste heat in at least one region of the noncontact part.3. The feedback device of claim 1, wherein: the noncontact part has anempty space in an inside thereof, and when the heat output module isdisposed on an outer surface of the contact part and a thickness of theheat output module is smaller than a wall thickness of the contact part,the heat transfer part includes a heat transfer structure embedded in awall of the contact part such that one end thereof is connected to theheat output module and the other end thereof is exposed in the emptyspace in the inside.
 4. The feedback device of claim 1, wherein: theheat dissipation part includes a heat dissipation sheet disposed in thenoncontact part and configured to dissipate the waste heat to theoutside, and at least one region of the heat dissipation sheet isconnected to the heat transfer part to receive the waste heat from theheat transfer part, and the heat dissipation sheet dissipates the wasteheat from a region thereof which is wider than the at least one regionof the heat dissipation sheet.
 5. The feedback device of claim 4,wherein, when the noncontact part has an empty space in an insidethereof, the heat dissipation sheet is disposed in the inside anddissipates the waste heat received from the heat transfer part from theinside such that the waste heat is not transferred to the user.
 6. Thefeedback device of claim 4, wherein, when the contact part is formed onan inner side of the noncontact part, the heat dissipation sheet isdisposed on an outer side of the noncontact part and dissipates thewaste heat received from the heat transfer part from the outer side suchthat the waste heat is not transferred to the user.
 7. The feedbackdevice of claim 1, wherein: when the noncontact part has an empty spacein an inside thereof, the heat dissipation part includes heatdissipation fins disposed to face the empty space in the inside, and atleast one region of the heat dissipation fins is connected to the heattransfer part to receive the waste heat from the heat transfer part, andthe heat dissipation fins dissipate the waste heat to the empty space inthe inside from a region thereof which is wider than the at least oneregion of the heat dissipation fins.
 8. The feedback device of claim 1,wherein: the heat dissipation part includes a heat dissipation fanconfigured to forcibly circulate the waste heat, and when the noncontactpart has an empty space in an inside thereof, the waste heat forciblycirculated by the heat dissipation fan is dissipated through the emptyspace in the inside.
 9. The feedback device of claim 1, wherein: theheat dissipation part is formed as a portion of the noncontact part, andthe heat dissipation unit is made of a material having heat dissipationperformance higher than heat dissipation performance of other portionsof the noncontact part.
 10. The feedback device of claim 1, wherein theheat dissipation part is formed as a portion of the noncontact part andhas at least one hollow portion for expanding a dissipation area of thewaste heat.
 11. The feedback device of claim 1, wherein: the heatdissipation part is a portion of the noncontact part, is formed on aninner side or an outer side of the noncontact part, and includes atleast one engraved pattern or at least one embossed pattern forexpanding a dissipation area of the waste heat, and the waste heat isdissipated through the at least one engraved pattern or the at least oneembossed pattern.
 12. The feedback device of claim 1, wherein, when thecasing includes a stick member and the stick member has a recessedregion in which a portion of an inner surface of the stick member isrecessed, the contact part is formed in at least one region of an outersurface of the stick member, and the noncontact part is formed in therecessed region.
 13. The feedback device of claim 12, wherein: the heatdissipation part includes a heat dissipation sheet disposed in therecessed region of the noncontact part and configured to dissipate thewaste heat to the outside, and at least one region of the heatdissipation sheet is connected to the heat transfer part to receive thewaste heat from the heat transfer part, and the heat dissipation sheetdissipates the waste heat to the recessed region.
 14. The feedbackdevice of claim 12, wherein a charging port configured to charge drivingpower of the feedback device is disposed in one region of the recessedregion.
 15. The feedback device of claim 1, wherein the waste heat isgenerated when cold feedback or thermal grill feedback of the thermalfeedback is output from the heat output module under control of thefeedback controller, and the heat dissipation unit dissipates the wasteheat from when the cold feedback or the thermal grill feedback is outputfrom the heat output module.
 16. A feedback device providing a thermalexperience according to a thermal event to a user in accordance withreproduction of game content including the thermal event, the feedbackdevice comprising: a casing including a stick member that is a regionwith which the user comes into contact in a case in which the feedbackdevice is moved when the content is reproduced, and a half ring memberthat is a region with which the user does not come into contact althoughthe feedback device is moved when the content is reproduced; a heatoutput module including a first substrate and a second substrate havingflexibility, a thermoelectric element disposed between the firstsubstrate and the second substrate and configured to perform athermoelectric operation for the thermal feedback, wherein: thethermoelectric operation includes an exothermic operation and anendothermic operation, and a contact surface disposed on the secondsubstrate; and the heat output module is disposed inside or outside acurved shape of the stick member due to the flexibility of the firstsubstrate and the second substrate and transfers heat generated by thethermoelectric operation to the user through the second substrate andthe contact surface to output the thermal feedback; a heat dissipationunit configured to dissipate waste heat from an outer surface of thehalf ring member when the waste heat is generated toward the firstsubstrate as the thermoelectric element performs the endothermicoperation such that temperature of at least a portion of the contactsurface is less than a certain temperature, wherein: the waste heatindicates the remaining heat, except for heat for providing the thermalfeedback among the heat generated in the thermoelectric element; and theheat dissipation unit includes a heat transfer part configured to form aheat transfer path from the heat output module to the outer surface ofthe half ring member such that the waste heat is transferred from theheat output module to the outer surface of the half ring member; and aheat dissipation part configured to dissipate the waste heat receivedthrough the heat transfer path, wherein the waste heat is moved alongthe heat transfer path to the outer surface of the half ring member fromthe stick member in which the heat output module is disposed, and isdissipated from the outer surface of the half ring member.
 17. Afeedback device providing a thermal experience according to a thermalevent to a user in accordance with reproduction of game contentincluding the thermal event, the feedback device comprising: a casingincluding a stick member that is a region with which the user comes intocontact in a case in which the feedback device is moved when the contentis reproduced, and a ring member that is a region with which the userdoes not come into contact although the feedback device is moved whenthe content is reproduced, wherein the ring member has a cavity passingthrough an interior of the ring member; a heat output module including afirst substrate and a second substrate having flexibility, athermoelectric element disposed between the first substrate and thesecond substrate and configured to perform a thermoelectric operationfor the thermal feedback, wherein: the thermoelectric operation includesan exothermic operation and an endothermic operation, and a contactsurface disposed on the second substrate; and the heat output module isdisposed inside or outside a curved shape of the stick member due to theflexibility of the first substrate and the second substrate, andtransfers heat generated by the thermoelectric operation to the userthrough the second substrate and the contact surface to output thethermal feedback; a heat dissipation unit configured to dissipate wasteheat from an outer surface of the ring member when the waste heat isgenerated toward the first substrate as the thermoelectric elementperforms the endothermic operation such that temperature of at least aportion of the contact surface is less than a certain temperature,wherein: the waste heat indicates the remaining heat, except for heatfor providing the thermal feedback among the heat generated in thethermoelectric element; and the heat dissipation unit includes a heattransfer part configured to form a heat transfer path from the heatoutput module to the outer surface of the ring member such that thewaste heat is transferred from the heat output module to the outersurface of the ring member; and a heat dissipation part configured todissipate the waste heat received through the heat transfer path,wherein the waste heat is moved along the heat transfer path to theouter surface of the ring member from the stick member in which the heatoutput module is disposed, and is dissipated from the outer surface ofthe ring member.